Low dose CT lung cancer screening is the best way to detect lung cancer at its earliest possible stage. It’s also one of the easiest screening exams you can have.
- The exam takes about 10 minutes
- No medications are given and no needles are used
- Eating is allowed before and after the exam
- No special clothing is required as long as the clothing on your chest area is free of metal
Who Qualifies for Lung Cancer Screening
Those who qualify for lung cancer screening should meet all of the following criteria:
- Are between ages 50 and 77
- Currently smoke or have quit smoking within the last 20 years (patients can have a low dose screening until they pass the 20-year smoking cessation)
- Have smoked the equivalent of one pack a day or more for 20 years
- Have no signs or symptoms of lung cancer
If you qualify, you will need a referral from your primary care provider in order to be screened.
Are you at high risk for lung cancer?
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States. Each year, lung cancer claims more lives than colon cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined. The good news is that detecting lung cancer at a very early stage makes intervention possible and increases the odds that it can be treated and cured. Studies show that low-dose CT lung cancer screening reduces the risk of dying from lung cancer.
Those at high risk of developing lung cancer should be screened as soon as they are eligible, while they are asymptomatic. Usually, by the time a patient starts showing signs and symptoms of lung cancer, the disease is already too advanced for treatment to be effective or the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
For more information or to schedule an appointment
If you have any questions regarding LDCT program, please contact your Amberwell primary care provider.
