Guests/Speakers
David Sturges, Dr. David Carbone
In this lung cancer screening video you will learn the answers to these questions:
1. Why is it important to get screened for lung cancer?
2. What is the test that can diagnose lung cancer?
3. Who should get screened for lung cancer?
4. What is it like to get a low-dose CT scan?
Why is it Better to Get Diagnosed Early for #LungCancer?
The early detection of lung cancer allows for patients to have more treatment options and a far greater chance of survival. If lung cancer is diagnosed before it can travel outside the lung, the options for effective treatment and even for a cure are the best. Once lung cancer has spread outside of the lungs, it is much more difficult to cure.
What Test is Used to Diagnose Lung Cancer?
Studies over the last 15 years using early detection screening such as spiral #CT have been shown to reduce lung cancer deaths by 16% to 20%. The most accurate test to diagnose lung cancer is a Low Dose Spiral CT Scan. These are available at many hospitals and cancer centers.
Am I At Risk for Lung Cancer?
The fact is that everyone who has lungs is at risk to get lung cancer. So – that’s everyone. But, studies, including the National Lung Screening Trial, have found that annual low-dose CT screening of people at the most risk for lung cancer reduces the risk of death by 20%.
Because of these findings, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends annual computed tomography (CT) screening for people who meet specific criteria. More importantly, this non-invasive diagnostic test may be covered by Medicare and most insurance companies.
If you answer YES to these questions, you meet the criteria:
1. Are you between the ages of 50 and 80?
2. Do you have at least a 20-pack-year history of smoking?
(A pack-year is defined as smoking a pack a day for 20 years or 2 packs a day for 10, etc.)
Many people who ultimately do get a diagnosis of #lungcancer do not fall within these criteria, and many lung cancer cases are not diagnosed early as a result.
What is a Low-Dose CT Scan Like? Does it Hurt?
A low-dose CT scan is less than 1 minute on a table, with very low radiation exposure and it gives the physicians a very clear picture of what is going on in the lungs.
