Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States. It is expected to claim over 142,000 lives this fiscal year. This is more than all the deaths from breast, colon, and prostate cancers.
Doctors and patient groups agree that it doesn’t need to be like this.
“Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women. Finally, we have a screening exam that will make a major impact and change the face of lung cancer for the future to a survivable cancer, not a death sentence,”Ella Kazerooni MD, MS is the chair of the National Lung Cancer Roundtable, and Professor of Radiology at the University of Michigan.
Each year, screening older smokers with low-dose computed tmography. “CAT”Scans are a cost-effective method that has been shown to dramatically reduce the number of deaths from lung cancer.
The American Cancer Society, American Lung Association and the National Lung Cancer Roundtable recommend CT lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients. GO2 Foundation for Lung CancerMany other scientific and medical organizations.
“After decades of having little to offer adults at high risk for lung cancer, we’ve entered a new era where we now have evidence that lung cancer screening saves lives, and new targeted therapies and immunotherapy are offering new hope to patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer,”Richard Wender MD, Chief Cancer Control Officer, American Cancer Society
“CT lung cancer screening is a game changer. We finally have a weapon to fight back against this terrible disease – if patients who need this screening get tested,”Debra Dyer MD is the chair of American College of Radiology Lung Cancer Screening 2.0 committee.
“Most lung cancers are not diagnosed until it is too late. This screening provides critical early detection that saves lives,” says Carolyn Aldigé, founder and chief executive officer of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
For people aged 55-80 with a history if heavy smoking, who are either current or former smokers, insurance companies will cover these exams without copay. Medicare ends coverage at age 77. You are eligible if you have stopped smoking for 15 years or more, and you meet the requirements.
Contrary to breast and colon cancer screening, however, your Medicare provider must discuss with you the risks and benefits of a CT scan for lung cancer screening CT exam. “shared-decision making visit”Before ordering your first CT screening,
Advocates for lung cancer care encourage anyone who believes that lung cancer screening could help them or a loved-one to have that conversation.
“Lung cancer screening is a proven, valuable tool in finding the number-one cancer killer at its most treatable, and even curable, stage,”Laurie Fenton Ambrose Co-Founder of GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer
For more lung cancer screening information, visit NLCRT.orgAnd (*( RadiologyInfo.org
Source: National Lung Cancer Roundtable (
