Lung Cancer Screening
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an estimated 228,820 people were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, and 135,720 people died of the disease in that same year.
The most important risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. Smoking is estimated to account for about 90% of all lung cancer cases, with a relative risk of lung cancer approximately 20-fold higher in smokers than in nonsmokers. Increasing age is also a risk factor for lung cancer. The median age of diagnosis of lung cancer is 70 years.
Lung cancer has a generally poor prognosis, with an overall 5-year survival rate of 20.5%, However, early-stage lung cancer has a better prognosis and is more amenable to treatment.
Recognizing the effectiveness of Lung Screening Cat Scans as a screening tool, along with proper follow-up, Milford Regional offers CT screening tests for lung cancer. To see if you qualify for this screening exam, please refer to the section below titled “Who is eligible for the screening test?”
What is a screening test?
Screening tests are important medical tests that can help protect against certain diseases. Some screening tests find diseases early, when they are most treatable, while others can actually play a role in stopping diseases before they start. Whether or not you should have the CT screening test for lung cancer will depend on your smoking history, along with your age, medical history and family history.
What is a CT scan?
A CT or CAT scan is an imaging exam that uses X-rays guided by a computer to take cross-sectional images (often called slices) of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, organs, and blood vessels. CT scans are more detailed than standard X-rays.
How long will the procedure take?
The screening chest CT takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, including prep time.
Are there any safety concerns?
You’re briefly exposed to radiation during a CT scan. Radiation exposure can increase your risk of developing cancer, but doctors and other scientists believe that these CT scans give enough needed information to outweigh the risks. The screening chest CT uses less radiation than a standard CT scan of the chest.
Who is eligible for the screening test?
Patients who are at high risk may be eligible for the scan and should talk to their doctor about whether one should be scheduled.
Patients at high risk include those who meet all of the following criteria:
- Are 50 to 77years old
- Have a smoking history of 20 or more pack-years (pack years are the number of cigarette packs smoked per day multiplied by the number of years a person has smoked).
- Are currently smoking or who have quit within the last 15 years.
How do I access the screening CT scan?
Patients can access the lung screening CT scan ONLY with a referral from their doctor.
What about follow-up care?
The results of the scan and the radiologist’s report will be returned to you and your doctor so that you can discuss options for follow-up care together.
