Jason Long, MD, MPH, is the director of the UNC Early Detection of Lung Cancer Program and an associate professor of surgery.
A North Carolina native and UNC alumnus, Long has dedicated his career to helping people across the state.
Here’s a few minutes with Jason Long.
Tell us about your journey to this point in your career
I was born in Asheville, NC, and went to undergraduate at UNC-Chapel Hill. I took a year off between undergraduate and medical school and worked in a research lab at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. During that same year, I traveled for three months through China, Tibet, Nepal and India, which had a profound impact on my life.
I attended medical school at Wake Forest University and completed an MPH in international health at the Harvard School of Public Health.
I matched in general surgery at the University of Chicago, and that is where my interest in cardiothoracic surgery began and flourished. Under the mentorship of Dr. Mark Ferguson, I developed an interest in thoracic oncology and surgery and applied for a cardiothoracic fellowship.
I matched at the University of Michigan where I became interested in the surgical treatment of lung cancer and esophageal cancer under the mentorship of Dr. Mark Orringer.
A thoracic surgery faculty position became available at UNC in my final year and I finally made a full circle back to Chapel Hill in 2013. I helped to start the robotic thoracic surgery program here at UNC in 2015 and became director of the UNC Early Detection of Lung Cancer Program (includes lung cancer screening and incidental pulmonary nodules) in 2022.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in oncology, in particular thoracic?
My interest in thoracic oncology really began as a general surgery resident, where early exposure to thoracic surgery and cardiac surgery ICU rotations helped me realize my passion for cardiothoracic surgery as a career.
I loved the anatomy and physiology of the chest and enjoyed the acuity and complexity of this patient population. I really enjoyed cardiac surgery, but my appreciation for thoracic surgery and, specifically, thoracic oncology flourished with mentorship.
I became very interested in cancer surgery, specifically lung and esophageal cancer. It was a long and sometimes difficult road, but was worth the journey. I truly feel I am making a difference in someone’s life with my hands and mind.
Over the past 11.5 years, I’ve come to have a more profound understanding of lung and esophageal cancer and how it affects individuals and their families. This has especially rang true with my involvement in helping to create the lung cancer screening program at UNC.
Why is serving this patient population important to you?
This is my opportunity to give back. This patient population is often underserved and acutely ill and faces a profound stigma for tobacco use. Specifically, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in North Carolina and the United States.
To have the opportunity to both treat patients with lung cancer and to help detect lung cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage by increasing uptake and adherence to lung cancer screening is truly special.
What is your most memorable moment with a patient?
There have been so many memorable moments with patients that this question may be difficult to answer. I think what it really comes down to is working with my talented and dedicated multidisciplinary thoracic oncology program colleagues and staff to treat patients with locally advanced disease using neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery and achieving a complete pathologic response in 20-25% is truly amazing for our team and patients’ families.
What advice do you have for someone entering this field?
Thoracic surgery is especially challenging and complex but is truly rewarding. Be prepared for long hours and hard work. Always remain calm and foster empathy.
What was your very first job?
While in high school, my dad teased me that I would never get a job unless I went out and applied for one. Low and behold, the day I turned 15, I was offered a job at a frozen yogurt shop at the mall. Never had to apply.
My first real job was working for my dad’s bridge/road construction company. Long hours in the hot sun tying steel and pouring concrete during the summer before my freshman year in college made me realize I better work hard in school.
What is your favorite hobby outside of work?
I enjoy playing guitar, cooking and spending time outside.
What helps keep you motivated?
Working with medical students and residents; collaborating with my talented multidisciplinary colleagues to take on a challenging patient case; patient’s families who depend on us.
This profession requires a multidisciplinary approach, and I sincerely appreciate my colleagues at UNC, especially those who are helping to create a lung cancer screening program for the people of North Carolina.
What are some common myths about lung cancer that you would like to dispel?
Cigarette smoking does indeed cause lung cancer. That being said, nearly 20% of all lung cancers diagnosed each year in the US are in nonsmokers. If you have lungs, you’re at risk.
Only 8% of those eligible for lung cancer screening in the U.S. are screened nationwide. You are eligible for lung cancer screening if you are between the ages of 50 and 80 and have a history of smoking one pack of cigarettes per day for at least 20 years. If you have a family member or friend that meets these criteria, encourage them to get screened.