WTOP’s Neal Augenstein Marks Three Years Cancer-Free, highlights Advances in Lung Cancer Treatment
WASHINGTON – WTOP News reporter Neal Augenstein is celebrating three years since being declared cancer-free following a Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, and is sharing his journey alongside advancements in detection and treatment offering renewed hope to patients. Augenstein’s story comes as a new report from the american Lung Association reveals a important rise in lung cancer survival rates, coupled with the growing role of artificial intelligence in earlier diagnosis.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, but the outlook is improving. The American Lung Association’s 2025 State of Lung Cancer report shows the five-year survival rate has risen to 29.7%, a 26% advancement over the past five years. This progress is fueled by ongoing research, including the increasing use of artificial intelligence to detect the disease sooner.
Augenstein, who publicly shared his diagnosis in 2022, credits advancements in treatment and access to clinical trials for his positive outcome. He regularly discusses potential trials with his thoracic oncologist, Amin Benyounes, co-leader at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute’s Phase One Program. The D.C. region offers a considerable number of clinical trials in Virginia, Maryland, and the District, providing patients with access to cutting-edge options.
“Will this make me feel worse,will it make me feel sick,coudl it hurt more than it would help? Will my kids or my partner have to bear the burden of me feeling sick?” Benyounes says are common concerns voiced by patients considering clinical trial enrollment.
However,with trials offering the potential for longer survival with fewer side effects,patients also grapple with the possibility of disappointment. Benyounes’ response is consistent: “We have to take things one step at a time.”
That guidance, Augenstein notes, is the same advice Benyounes offered him when his cancer journey began three years ago.