According to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Thankfully, lung cancer rates have been decreasing over time due to increased education about the harms of smoking as well as improved screening and treatment methods. Lung cancer is currently the third most frequent cause of cancer in the United States.
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual lung cancer screening for men and women between the ages of 50-80 who have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years, and are current smokers or who have quit smoking within the last 15 years. They recommend a low-dose CT chest scan, which is a CT scan with a very low amount of radiation. For these individuals, insurance will pay for a CT scan as a screening tool.
CT scans are an excellent tool for lung cancer screening because they are able to detect small calcifications in the lungs that are found in lung nodules. For those who have not smoked or who quit smoking over 15 years ago, insurance will not typically cover a low-dose CT scan.
Lung cancer is much more responsive to therapy if it is caught in the early stages, rather than waiting for an individual to have symptoms of lung cancer. Early detection with a low dose Chest CT screening is the best way to find lung cancer at an early stage (stage I or stage II).
Thankfully, low-dose CT scans are an easy and affordable way to screen your body for lung cancer. If you are interested in having a screening CT of your chest, we can perform this scan for $349 that covers your CT scan, your report, and my imaging review call with you to help you interpret your findings.
If you are interested in screening your lungs for early signs of cancer, contact me at Info@LongevitySB.com to schedule your low-radiation chest CT today!
References:
Below are images from the CDC regarding lung cancer rates in the United States.
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