Low-dose CT Lung Cancer Screening Could Save Your Life

Lung cancer – those two little words can strike fear in anyone as a death sentence. As with many types of cancer, by the time symptoms appear, it has likely spread to other parts of the body and is more difficult to treat. However, when lung cancer is caught early, treatments can lead to remission and recovery.

The Importance of Early Detection

“For many years, we have experienced the majority of cases of lung cancer being diagnosed at a later stage that is associated with a very low rate of cure. Early-stage, potentially curable lung cancer was found less than 15% of the time. With the advances in medicine and screening for a variety of cancers, we were hopeful for a proven method of screening for lung cancer to improve the odds of early detection,” explained Kamal Chaban, M.D., a pulmonologist with Firelands Physician Group.

According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Approximately 85% of cases occur in cigarette smokers. A simple screening could save your life if you are a smoker or a former smoker.

What is Low-Dose CT (LDCT) Screening?

Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) works much like an X-ray to produce pictures of your chest and lungs. This high-quality lung screening detects lung nodules, using 90% less radiation than a conventional chest CT scan. If you are at high risk for developing lung cancer but have no signs or symptoms, an LDCT screening could help you catch potentially cancerous spots at their earliest and most treatable stage. “Low-dose CT screening provides an excellent way to detect very early stages of cancer. With a low risk of radiation exposure and in patients with a high risk of developing cancer, defined by specific criteria to be included in the program, LDCT provided an excellent way to find asymptomatic early stages of cancer, which can have a better chance of a cure,” stated Chaban.

Who is eligible for lung cancer screening?

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently updated the eligibility guidelines for lung cancer screening to the following:

• 50-80-year-olds
• Smoked within the past 15 years
• Twenty pack-years (A pack-year is calculated by multiplying the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked. A pack equals 20 cigarettes.)

Taking the Next Step

If you meet the criteria listed above and want to undergo an LDCT lung screening, the first step is to make an appointment with your primary care provider. This appointment will be a time to discuss your age, smoking history, and other factors with your physician to determine if you are eligible for screening.

An LDCT screening can detect lung cancer in its earliest stages but cannot prevent or cure it. A way to stop cancer before it starts is to stop smoking. If you are ready to quit, visit firelands.com/quitsmoking or call Firelands Center for Coordinated Care at 419-557-6550. The tobacco cessation program at Firelands offers individualized counseling with a trained tobacco treatment specialist and nurse practitioner, one-on-one counseling sessions and optional weekly group classes.