overall, lung cancer statistics are grim. lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the united states. killing nearly 160,000 people a year. but today, a government panel released guidelines that could improve those numbers. healthy adults between the ages of 55 and 80 who are heavy smokers, meaning they have smoked the equivalent of a pack a day for 30 years, should get an annual low dose ct scan to detect early signs of cancer. those who have quit within the last 15 years should also be screened. dr. claudia henchke is a longtime promoter of annual screening. this doctor estimates the new guidelines could save more than 30,000 lives a year. >> we are thrilled with this result. we think this will make a big difference. many people will be able to enjoy a very productive life once they get screened and they find their lung cancer early. >> reporter: leslie believes it saved his life. >> without the lung detection program, the early screening program, i would not be here right now. no question about it. >> reporter:

the major cause of lung cancer in later heart disease. >> are these contained? is it the burning of the nicotine? >> it is mainly the burning. the heavy metals that caused cancer at their regard this weather per or not. the cadmium, nickel, the arsenic, which is a middleweight and maybe the radioactive polonium. most people don't know cigarettes are the main way we are exposed to radioactive isotopes. an average smoker will get the equivalent of hundreds of chest x-rays a year just in their smoking. that is mainly from the pesticide or fertilizers put on tobacco. they put fertilizers are on the plan does contain uranium. led to polonium. the same poison that killed a russian spy in london a few years ago was also present in cigarette mouth. that was discovered in the 60s. >> what to cigarettes have to do with the marshall plan? >> welcome rethink of the marshall plan as an effort to rebuild europe. but most people don't know us for every $2 in food center would be europe, there is 1 dollar tobacco. the marshall plan can be seen as an effort by the american tobac

toxic, and then we transplant the lung back.believe this will come to fruition over the next five or six years. >> it may sound like science fiction, but again when you see the machine working you begin to believe it. >> pretty cool, right? i mean, to keep this organ going on its own outside of the body. it's not just hearts. it's lungs, livers, they want to hit every organ in the body, what do you think? >> did you actually touch that thing? >> oh, yeah. >> had a did it feel like? >> it felt like a fist clenching over and over. it was warm, a little bit slimy. it's a pig party. >> is this better than a cooler? >> yes, the biggest thing they're looking at is increasing the amount of time that heart can survive outside of the body. when you put that heart on ice the organ is slowly dying. that means it only has four hours until it needs to hit the recipient. with this technique it keeps it alive and warm for eight hours, ten hours, that's a huge difference. they're not just talking about it for transporting organs. imagine a room

after receiving two lung transplants.ries necessary because she was dying from cystic fibrosis. her goal then was very clear. >> i'm not going for easy. >> you're not going for easy? >> i'm just going -- >> one -- >> this is what possible looks like now. sarah at home in her bedroom doing physical therapy with her mother and her home nurse nearby. >> shoulders back. >> reporter: she is walking, thinking about christmas. >> i asked for a -- >> reporter: and focusing on how far she has come. >> what i was going through was possible. it was possible for me. >> happy holidays. >> reporter: sarah's family overjoyed by her progress, but still frustrated. for weeks, they pressured health and human services secretary, kathleen sebelius to change the under 12 policy that discriminated against children. sarah was getting sicker waiting for the transplant. meanwhile, adults who were less sick were eligible for transplants. >> what we were trying to say is she was being treated unequally as were all other kids in her age group. >> re

lung cancer claims over 160,000 lives a year.ading cause of all cancer deaths in the sufficient. the newest guidelines hope to cut that number down. a panel of medical experts now recommend healthy adults between the ages of 55 and 80 who are heavy smokers meaning those who smoked one pack a day for 30 years be given a low dose annual c.t. scan in an effort to detect early signs of cancer. the group also recommends screening for those smokers who have quit during the last 15 years. the findings were praised by doctor. a lung cancer expert is a long time proponent of annual screening. she estimates the guidelines could save more than 30,000 lives a year. >> we're thrilled at this result. we think that this will make a big difference, many people will be able to enjoy a very productive life once they get screened as they find though lung cancer early. >> leslie agrees and credits it with saving his life. >> without the lung detection program, the early screening program, i would not be here right now, be no question about it. >> th

mandela had been battling a lung infection for many months. right after its official announcement tonight mourners began gathering at mandela's home in johannesburg to sing his praises. we have extensive coverage of nelson mandela's life and legacy. first we'll go to deborah in johannesburg tonight, deborah, how has this unfolded for us this evening? >> well, scott, for 26 weeks south africans have lived with the knowledge that nelson mandela was gravely ill. first the three month hospitalization and then he was sent to his home to see out his final days because there was nothing more doctor kos do for him. a few days ago his wife realized he was deteriorating even further. and actually summoned the family to his bedside. and many of them were there earlier this evening and able to say their final good-byes to him before his death. and eventually that announcement from president zuma that nelson mandela had died shortly before midnight south african time. outside his home many south africans have gathered, both black and white. fitting that it

in the past most advanced lung cancer patients underwent chemotherapy, but by putting a small sample of ray's dna on this chip and running it through this machine doctors were able to pinpoint the best possible medicine for him. >> they can run not just one tube for one reaction for one gene, but one tube does actually 50 different genes of. >> reporter: dr. greg utterson says by looking for specific mutations in different genes doctors can better determine which drugs will work best for which patients because most lung cancer patients are diagnosed in later stages, getting the treatments right the first time being crucial. >> we've shown that if you bear that mutation, you do better with the pill than standard chemotherapy. >> reporter: it's working for ray who says more than anyone he appreciates doctors having an effective game plan for helping him tackle the billest challenge of his life. ed an -- biggest challenge of his life, andy ya ronnel, wusa9. >> there are now -- andrea roane, wusa9. >> there are now more options for treating lung cancer than ever before. one person of 15

there are new federal guide lines concerning lung cancer screenings. panel of doctors now recommending ct scans for those at risk. they say it would save thousands of lives. stephanie sy has the story. >> reporter: this man lit up his first cigarette in a fox hole during world war ii. >> one of the guys said it will help settle you down. >> reporter: decades later he was diagnosed with lung cancer after a ct scan. he is one of the lucky ones, lung cancer the leading cause of all cancer deaths in the us. a panel of experts recommends that adults who are heavy smokers, be given a low dose annual ct scan in an effort to detect early signs of cancer. the group also recommends screenings for those who have quit until the last 15 years. the decision was praised by some such as this expert. she estimates the new guidelines could save more than 30,000 lives a year. >> we're thrilled with this result. we think that this will make a big difference. many people will be able to enjoy a very productive life once they get screened and it is detected early. >> withou

so people in the heart, lung and blood institute work with diabetes and cancer instituted. there has never win been a time of such promise, but things have never been this constrained either. we will lead and stand up for open access and the data we generate ought to be accessible to others. >> the funning and impact of -- funding -- sukwequesteration an how has it impacted what you are doing or will be doing in the year ahead? >> this is the paradox where we are never seen a more exciting time for science, but it is as a difficult mome -- moment -- in terms of the science. the budget went flat and inflation at about 3% per year has been eating away at the purchasing power. and on march 27, we lost $1.5 billion that would have gone to research on a wide variety of areas the public cares about. and that money disappeared. that means we are now down about 25% in purchasing power for research over what we had ten years ago. the combination of what has been happening and the sequester has serious consequences. if you are seeking to pursue a bold idea about cancer or diabetes, h

. >> she got a lung removed in september. >> so this is her first time out. >> yeah, she wants to get out of the house. >> you chose to come to a sale. >> yes. >> you are a woman after my heart. >> we saw a lot of shoppers, most didn't appear to be buying but it was when we went to the other side of the mall we found a line. >> this is a shoe line. >> this is a shoe line. >> all waiting for nike basketball shoes. >> all y'all go this way. all y'all want double pass, right? >> if you want to know what the hot item is spend a little time with them. >> that is the hot item now, gamma 168. >> i got it for 160. >> how many jordans do you have? >> i have like 300 pair. >> you are kidding me, right? >> no, got to have every pair. >> every pair. >> what do you do with them. >> we resale them. >> wow. >> she was not happy with that. >> i got it all to myself. >> she got up early. >> she got 147 dollar pants for 27 bucks. >> wow. >> what are you going to get me? >> i don't know. >> when we left they were still searching for days and in fact people said before christmas they were shopping for ot

stick it right there and put a patch over it. >> katie grace's story and dire need for a heart and lung transplant inspired 22-year- old, jeffrey holmes to do more than just display lights on his childhood home. he created a heart for christmas and amazing light display. a total of 30,000 holiday lights. all of them to bring awareness to katie's story. >> she used to live right next door to us so we said here's a wonderful little child of god that could use a lot of help. >> karen is a survivor. four years ago, she had a double lung transplant. >> day-to-day she is testing and hoping to get on the list and we are hoping for her. because ph is so rare. we need to spread the word and i want her to be a survivor like me. >> hundreds of people have visited the light show on the home's one acre property, even katie grace. >> all for you. what do you think about that? >> i like it. >> does it make you happy? >> yeah. >> in clayton, juliette goodrich, kpix5. >> in 2008, doctors gave katie one year to live and she has already beaten the odds. incredible story. >> well, very dry around the bay a

it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today, we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ pillsbury cookie dough. make the holidays pop!

it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes.sn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! [ female announcer ] symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. [ man ] with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. or treat gas with these after you get it. now that's like sunblock before or sun burn cream later. oh, somebody out there's saying, n

. >> they're very fragile, their lungs.they have very delicate lungs, and they are more prone to wheeze when they get respiratory infections when they have the affect of pollution hitting their lungs. >> doctors say during flu season this unhealthy air can actually make it more difficult to recover from being sick. >>> a major contributor to the 2zair, this fire that burned for several hours at sims metal management in redwood city. investigators are still trying to pinpoint a cause. fire officials say a large pile of metal parts exploded. you can see the large plume of black smoke coming up. people in the area were told to stay indoors with the smell of plastic reaching as far south as san jose. this is the second fire to happen at the facility in just five weeks. >> you know, a lot of people were talking about that yesterday. especially the air quality out there. as we heck in with christina right now about the smell. so many people can actually smell that fire in the air. >> yeah. you know, it was very robust smell when

as we all know he's been gravely ill with this lung infection. and i think towards the end the drugs, the antibiotics just didn't work. his body just too frail. and he's surrounded by his family, we understand. but i think what is key moving on now, we know nelson mandela's body has been moved from his home to a mortuary in pretoria, to a military hospital in pretoria. it will stay there for the next few days where it will be embalmed. the next time you'll see him in the casket will be at a memorial service in the soccer city stadium where the world cup final was played, where there'll

it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today, we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. >> jeff: this holiday season don't surprised to see more jostling for presents under the tree. not just kids but adults competing for the same gifts. nielsen says 8

it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes.rt doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today, we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. >>> as we said, there is other news to talk about tonight. we had a whole broadcast of it planned before the urgent news from south africa. a lot is weather, specifically i

it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes.ort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! [ female announcer ] symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. [ man ] with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. where does the united states get most of its energy? is it africa? the middle east? canada? or the u.s.? the answer is... the

you are aware that there is a new method for detecting lung cancer earlier than before. at the national cancer institute, over about seven years, we carried out a large study called the national lung screening trial in which 53,000 people used a new imaging method. that method has now been shown by rigorous controlled study carried out by the nci to reduce lung cancer totality in heavy smokers, people at high risk of the disease between ages 55 and 75 by about 20%. that is a significant number. it does not compare favorably with the health benefits of not smoking. nevertheless it is going to lead and has led in the past to early diagnosis, and i think some of those early diagnoses will be abnormalities that might not have lead to lethal cancers. but the study shows that this method can detect some lethal cancers early and reduce the fertility from lung cancer -- the mortality from one cancer. it is very likely once the official report is filed that there will be recommendations for all insurers, including medicare, to cover this method. hopefully we will see additional r

say yeah yeah let's be alone together ♪ ♪ we could stay young forever scream it from the top of your lungsh yeah let's be alone together we could stay young forever we'll stay young young ♪ ♪ young young young oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ oh oh oh oh oh oh my heart is like a stallion they love it more when it's broke in ♪ ♪ do you wanna feel beautiful do you wanna yeah i'm outside the door ♪ ♪ invite me in so we can go back and play pretend i'm on deck yeah ♪ ♪ i'm up next tonight i'm high as a private jet yeah yeah ♪ ♪ let's be alone together we could stay young forever scream it from the top of your lungs ♪ ♪ say yeah yeah let's be alone together we could stay young forever we'll stay young ♪ ♪ young young young young i don't know where you're going but do you got room ♪ ♪ for one more troubled soul i don't know where i'm going but i don't think i'm coming home ♪ ♪ and i said i'll check in tomorrow oh oh oh oh oh oh if i don't wake up dead ♪ ♪ this is the road to ruin and wetarted at the end ♪ >>> tonight on "nightline" -- for the ages. from nelson mandela's

it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes.sn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today, we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. >>> our "instant index" here on a sunday night and a soccer game going viral after breaking out into a riot. take a look at this. the video is ugly. the brawl between fans. peopl

it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes.e inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today, we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. [ female announcer ] gold bond intensive hand cream. now my hands look great. [ female announcer ] gold bond intensive hand cream. this stuff really works! >>> shirley mclane is an actor and singer

addiction is a problem, but it's less of a problem than lung cancer. [ticking] >> its inventor and investors say it will change the way we power our homes, bypassing the traditional electric grid. is the bloom box intended to get rid of the grid? >> the bloom box is intended to replace the grid for its customers. [ticking] >> let's say if you spilled something on it... >> marty cooper looks on all this with pride, amusement, and some dismay. >> when i throw this against the wall, you--ooh. >> and with good reason. he's the father of the cell phone. >> how do i remove? i know how to add a-- but say i want to remove that one. >> welcome to 60 minutes on cnbc. i'm lesley stahl. investors always hope to be on the ground floor of the next big thing. that's why venture capitalists risk fortunes developing new inventions and new products that sometimes transform how people live. we begin with snus. with cigarette sales falling, the smoking industry is going smokeless, introducing new tobacco products such as snus that are nothing like your granddaddy's chew o

>> i like to think of it as the cop jests you get in your nose when you're cold but in your lower lungsng breathing problems there. >> reporter: rsv infections can be serious, the leading cause for hospitalization among infants and 7% of all childhood deaths are caused by rsv-related pneumonia. >> it's one of the more serious viral diseases that afflict children. also, elderly people can get infected or sick, particularly people older than 65 years old. >> reporter: but doctors say new research may be able to save some of those lives. scientists at the national institutes of health say they're close to developing a new vaccine, using complex technology. researchers created 3-d models of the virus before it invades the body. from there they were able to isolate parts of the virus that they were never able to see before. in animal testing, those compounds actually were able to stop an rsv infection. >> could you predict that it's going-to-to have a protective effect in humans. >> reporter: the director of the national institute for allergy and infectious diseases at nih says this is the f

>> reporter: all you have to do is take a deep breath and in many cases you can feel that in your lungs, the tightening because of the very heavy air right now. the air quality is extremely poor. folks have been trying to run and get their daily exercise in. it's very difficult to do, especially if you're asthmatic, sending many of those folks to the allergists office. on a clear day, you can see for miles and miles and miles. just not on this day and not this couple in from georgia. >> there's not much of a view because all you see is -- is it smog that you have here? >> reporter: that's exactly what it is. it is trapped by the valley and hemmed in by the mountains. >> it was difficult to walk the dog. yeah, it was really hard to breathe. i could definitely feel it in my lungs. >> reporter: a series of aggressive fires has dumped more chemicals into the air making a bad situation worse. >> this situation is definitely more difficult than usual. we're seeing a lot more pollution than we typically do this time of year. >> reporter: a doctor estimated she's seen a 25% uptick in patients i

it helps significantly improve my lung functio starting within five minutes.ler for sudden sympto. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! [ female nouncer ] symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not beaken more than twice a day. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol inse the risk of death from asthma problems. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart cdition or high blood pressure before takingt. [ man ] with copd, i thought i'd miss ouramily tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung fction, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescriion free. call or click to learn more. >>> if you only knew what happened in the commercial break. it is so disturbing. now it's time for one more thing. i'm going to turn over to eric who hopefully is more composed th

most were caused by lung cancer, live cancer.o what is behind the increases and cases in cancer deaths? who is global health director for the national cancer institute. appreciate your being here with us, and you have looked through the world, you have studies this and you understand -- it part of it may be in reporting or is it really that there's an actual rise? >> we think there is an actual rise. we are looking at the developed world, and living through the ages where they are more at risk for cancer. >> is there a link there between what is happening in the developed world, and what is happened in the p twoing world? >> in the developing world, they have a double whammy of two different tsunamis of cancer. they are facing cancer linked to infectious it is. such as liver cancer, such as cervical cancer, such as stomach cancer, which are all caused by viruses. we have actually vaccines for two of the viruses, for hepatitis b, and for human papilloma virus. the big goals is to get wide acceptance. in addition, people are living

yeah. >> simon: his lungs are now the size of watermelons.y're no larger than oranges. his heartbeat slows down to 27 beats a minute. his mother is counting seconds. down deep, the blue hole becomes the black hole. >> trubridge: you're alone with yourself down there at depth. even your body slips away so that it feels like you're just a kind of a speck of consciousness that's floating into the abyss. you're weightless, there's no light, no sound, and so it's almost as if you're floating in a completely empty tank. >> simon: the pressure is causing his brain to absorb more nitrogen. he is feeling light-headed, kind of drunk. it happens to all divers deep down; it's called narcosis. suddenly, a bright light on the base plate 410 feet down. he takes the tag and begins his ascent. at 100 feet, he is joined by his safety divers. like a pod of dolphins, they guide him through the most hazardous part of the dive. running out of oxygen can cause a blackout. >> trubridge: ( grunting ) >> simon: the sound you are hearing is william expelling air from h

. >> my lungs felt very small, but i was thinking, i'm winded. i just need to lie down.e, no, no, you can't lie down. before i knew it, i was in an ambulance. i gave them my mom's phone number and then lost consciousness. >> once at the hospital, doctors worked quickly to assess the damage. >> both my lungs were collapsed. my liver was torn. my spleen was so badly ruptured they had to take it out, and i had hemorrhages in both my eyes. >> with his parents back in england, family friends living in the area rushed to the hospital. he's unconscious for more than 12 hours and in critical condition. >> when i next woke up, i was on a breathing machine, had seven or eight tubes coming out of me, and i was the most scared i've ever been in my life. they said, thank god you got to the hospital when you did. >> nearly two months later his parents bring him home. painfully, he relives the nightmare by watching the video of his accident. >> i was watching it thinking, who's that guy? that's not me. really? wow! and then i kind of watched it a few more times, and it kind of sunk in.

i could feel it in my lungs. >> a series of aggressive fires from a 900 acre behemoth to a plant dumped more chemicals into the air making a bad situation worse. >> this situation is definitely more acute than usual. we are seeing a lot more pollution than we do during this time of year. >> dr. katherine nelson with the south bay allergy and asthma group estimates a 25% up tick in the last few weeks. nelson said there is no magic pill to clear the air. just a gush of water. and not the sound variety. >> we need a good rain. we need this inversion layer to go away. we need wind for the particulate matter and bring it out of the valley. >> pray for rain and we will gladly take handouts. >> we need rain? wind? something? we will send you rain from georgia. we had tons of it. >> we spoke with other aller gists as well. a doctor with the allergy and asthma associates of northern california has seen a spike in his business too. you have to be careful. the particulates can have long-term consequences like causing asthma. his advice is to stay inside or take preventive medicine. nbc bay area ne