Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer in the U.S., accounting for about 25% of all cancer deaths. The number of lives taken by lung cancer has fallen more than 6% since its peak in 2005, owing to fewer people smoking and to improvements in early discovery through lung cancer screening.
While a standard chest X-ray was once used for this purpose, today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommend only one screening test for lung cancer: Low-dose Computed Tomography, or LDCT. Painless, non-invasive LDCT uses a very low dose of radiation to produce highly detailed images of the lungs in just minutes. Its superiority over conventional chest X-ray makes LDCT the gold standard for early lung cancer detection.
Who Needs Lung Cancer Screenings?
By far the leading cause of lung cancer is cigarette smoking, which is associated with 80-90% of all lung cancer deaths. Smoking tobacco via pipes and cigars also increases risk, particularly if done in volumes comparable to cigarettes.
Current and former heavy smokers are considered at highest risk for lung cancer. Early detection using LDCT can reduce the chance of lung cancer mortality in high-risk patients by up to 20%. Put plainly, that means as many as one in five high-risk people may be saved through quick, simple LDCT screening.
How Many Packs a Day Makes a Heavy Smoker?
Smoking to any degree is bad for the body, introducing thousands of chemicals and 70 or more known carcinogens into the lungs, throat, esophagus, liver and other organs and structures. People who smoke are 15-30 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers. Naturally, the longer and more you smoke, the greater your risk.
Generally speaking, a light smoker smokes fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, and a heavy smoker smokes a pack or more a day. Anyone who has reached 20 pack years, which is calculated by multiplying the number of packs a day by the number of years spent smoking, is considered at high risk of lung cancer. Even a light smoker can reach 20 pack years.
When Should I Start Lung Cancer Screenings?
As with most cancers, the key to survival is getting treatment as early as possible. Patients whose small lung cancers are discovered in the earliest stage have a cure rate that can reach 80-90%. Early-stage lung cancer produces no symptoms – once symptoms like chronic cough, shortness of breath, bloody mucous or frequent lung infection begin, it is often too late for successful treatment.
Annual LDCT screening is recommended for adults ages 50-77 with a 20 pack-year smoking history. This applies to current smokers as well as those who have quit within the past 15 years.
Screening is not considered necessary for people who have not smoked for 15 years, or for whom lung surgery is not an option.
Will Medicare Cover Lung Cancer Screenings?
Medicare Part B will cover 100% of annual LDCT lung cancer screenings for people meeting the following criteria:
Age 50-77
A current smoker or quit within the past 15 years
Have reached or exceeded 20 pack years
Have no signs of lung cancer
Have an order from their doctor
A Doctor Explains LDCT
Board-certified, fellowship-trained radiologist Stephen Sevigny, MD, discusses how LDCT screening can save lives. Visit https://www.radiologyassociatesimaging.com/ct-index
Early Detection of Lung Cancer
Don’t wait for symptoms of lung disease to appear – act now, while time is on your side.
If you're 50 or older and meet the criteria mentioned here, talk to your doctor about whether annual LDCT screening might be right for you. With your help, this silent killer can be defeated.
Why Choose Radiology Associates for LDCT?
Radiology Associates is dedicated to the industry’s most advanced imaging technologies and accurate screening protocols. Our team of experienced, fellowship-trained radiologists is focused on the earliest possible discovery of lung cancer, and a partnership with your doctor to promote the highest possible standard of care.
