Before Sherryl Jewett had the first symptom of lung cancer, screening with low dose CT gave her advance warning. 

“In my case, it was found so early,” said the 71-year-old retired school secretary. “I’m extremely grateful.” 

Since she and her husband, Michael, moved to Smithville from Texas three years ago, her primary care provider, nurse practitioner Whitney Carroll at Access Family Health Services, has ensured

Sherryl was scheduled for the screenings she needs. Because Sherryl is a smoker, she meets the criteria for low dose CT for lung cancer screening. 

Sherryl’s first two annual screenings with low dose CT showed no problems, but the third in May 2025 found a suspicious nodule. 

“If it wouldn’t have been for Whitney, they wouldn’t have been found when it was very small,” Sherryl said.

The screening for lung cancer with low dose CT is fast and simple. After her experience, she encourages everyone who is eligible for the screening to do it. 

“In five minutes, it’s over,” Sherryl said. “It’s a piece of cake.” 

Screening recommendations

Lung cancer screening with low dose CT is recommended for people between 50 and 80 who are current or former smokers who have quit in the past 15 years. The annual screening considers pack-years to identify those at higher risk of developing lung cancer. 

Pack-years are calculated by multiplying the number of packs typically smoked each day by the number of years the person has smoked. For example: 1 pack a day x 20 years = 20 pack-years.

Sherryl’s journey

After the low dose CT scan identified the nodule in Sherryl’s lung, she was referred to pulmonologist Dr. Robert McEachern at Pulmonary Consultants to discuss next steps. 

“Dr. McEachern showed me what the nodule looked like and why they were concerned about it,” Sherryl said. 

When Sherryl’s biopsy confirmed she had non-small cell lung cancer, oncology nurse navigator Stephanie Grove with North Mississippi Health Services Cancer Care helped her understand the range of treatments available for her lung cancer treatment.

“She was so kind and gave me so many options,” Sherryl said. “She was a great lifeline.”

Because Sherryl’s cancer was found at an early stage, she had options for effective treatment. In her case, Sherryl considered surgery to remove the nodule in her lung or radiation treatments to destroy the cancer cells. 

Taking into account her age and concerns about surgical recovery, Sherryl opted for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) with radiation oncologist Dr. Benjamin Hinton. This form of radiation treatment that delivers precisely targeted radiation in fewer high dose treatment. The precise targeting allows the radiation oncology team to deliver higher doses of radiation to much smaller areas.

The radiation beams are shaped exactly to the tumor, sparing healthy tissue. 

Sherryl needed five radiation treatments for her cancer. Because her tumor was so small and had not spread, she didn’t require chemotherapy.

“It was the easiest, quickest option for me,” Sherryl said. “They were just so wonderful.” 

After her fifth treatment, Sherryl developed esophagitis, a type of inflammation that made it difficult to drink and eat. The Radiation Oncology team was able to quickly diagnose the issue and provide effective treatment. 

“They knew exactly what was happening,” said Sherryl, who was fully recovered in three weeks. 

Smooth recovery

In the wake of her cancer treatment, Sherryl has done great. She and Michael traveled to visit family, including their two adult children and four grandchildren and their siblings’ families. 

Her breathing test results have improved, and she is reducing the number of cigarettes she smokes, making her family proud. 

“I feel great,” Sherryl said. “I’m in good hands. Every specialist and nurse has been so pleasant, upbeat and friendly.” 

Ironically, when the couple moved from Texas to Smithville three years ago, people warned them that they wouldn’t be able to get great medical care in Mississippi. 

“It has been beyond exceptional,” Sherryl said.