You may be eligible for a free low-dose CT scan
Lung cancer is the third most common type of cancer diagnosed in the United States but is the deadliest cancer in our country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more Americans die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. Secondhand smoke, family history, lifestyle choices (poor diet and lack of exercise) and occupational exposures to materials like asbestos can also contribute to the disease. For those without a smoking history, radon exposure is the highest risk factor for lung cancer.
As with other cancers and health conditions, early detection means more opportunities to take advantage of the most comprehensive treatment options. The only recommended screening for lung cancer is a low-dose CT scan, which involves lying still on a table and slowly moving through the scanner. There’s no IV or medications. The entire process takes less than 10 minutes, and the radiation exposure through this scan is more than a regular X-ray but less than 10% of a regular CT scan. The low-dose CT scan finds small nodules or other abnormalities in the lungs.
To be eligible for the lung cancer screening, you must meet the criteria:
- You are 50-80 years of age.
- You currently smoke, or you quit in the past 15 years.
- You have at least a 20-pack-a-year smoking history*.
- You do not have signs or symptoms of lung cancer (chest pain, strong cough, trouble swallowing, wheezing, shortness of breath or coughing up blood).
*This is the number of years smoked multiplied by the number of packs of daily cigarettes. For example: 1 pack/day X 20 years = 20 packs-a-year.
If you believe you meet the criteria, a prescreening is required.
Bobbi Marino, MSN, APRN, TTS, FNP-BC, OCN, Lee Health Cancer Institute Lung Cancer Screening Program director, explains the process. “You can ask your primary care provider for a referral to the Lung Cancer Screening Clinic, or you can go to www.LeeHealth.org/Lung-Cancer-Screening and complete the ‘Schedule a Screening’ questionnaire on the right-hand side of the webpage,” she said. “Once you complete and submit the prescreening form, the clinic will receive the information and contact you for a visit to complete a health history and discuss lung cancer screening—this can be an in-person appointment or via a virtual visit. Once we confirm you meet the lung cancer screening criteria, I will place an order for the low-dose CT, and we can schedule it, working with your schedule and preferred location.”
Lung cancer screening is covered 100% by Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance plans. Financial assistance is available for those who are uninsured and underinsured.
“If an abnormality is detected, it does not mean you have lung cancer,” Bobbi said. “Our lung cancer screening often uncovers chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), coronary artery calcification, aortic aneurysm or other conditions. If an abnormality is suspicious for lung cancer, then our team—in collaboration with your primary care physician—will direct you into our lung nodule pathway for additional evaluation to determine a diagnosis and personalized treatment plan that is best for you.”
For more information about lung cancer and screening, visit www.LeeHealth.org and search for “Lung cancer.”