Should I Get Annual Lung Cancer Screenings? - Mercy - Baltimore

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the United States for both men and women. According to Harvard Medical School , it kills “more people than colorectal, breast, prostate and cervical cancers combined.”

Around 80% to 90% of all lung cancer deaths are related to smoking tobacco. Other risk factors include:

Secondhand tobacco smoke Long-term exposure to certain chemicals, such as radon and asbestos Air pollution and other environmental factors A family history of lung cancer Lung cancer screenings are an important tool to catch lung cancer early and thus lower your risk of dying from it. However, only certain people are encouraged to get them on an annual basis. So, who qualifies? Are annual screenings only for people who currently smoke or used to smoke? What if you quit smoking 20 years ago—does that mean you’re in the clear?

Should I Get Regular Lung Cancer Screenings? If you meet certain criteria, you are considered at higher-than-average risk of developing lung cancer. These criteria include:

You are between 50 and 80 years old You are currently or used to be a smoker, even if you quit many years ago Your smoking history entails one pack a day for 20 years, two packs a day for 10 years, etc. If you meet all of these conditions, you are a candidate for annual lung cancer screenings. What should you do now?

Contact The Lung Center at Mercy to make an appointment. At the appointment, your Mercy specialist will go through the shared decision-making process with you. This will include: You sharing your full health history Your specialist sharing information about lung cancer, as well as the benefits and risks of regular lung cancer screenings You sharing your health goals and how you feel about the risks of regular screenings You and your specialist deciding together what the best solution is for your specific case What Happens During a Lung Cancer Screening? Mercy offers a comprehensive lung-screening program, which uses low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) to scan for signs of lung cancer, such as a lung mass or nodules. You lie on a table and slowly pass through a donut-shaped machine that takes pictures of your chest. This should take about one minute. Mercy’s team of radiologists closely examines this scan to look for signs of lung cancer. Mercy contacts you to inform you of the results. If we have detected any findings on your scan, we will guide you through your next steps. What Are the Risks of a Lung Cancer Screening? The primary benefit of lung cancer screenings is pretty clear: diagnosing lung cancer at an early stage and thus increasing your five-year survival rate. But there are a few risks to be aware of, too, such as:

False positives: Your scan can lead your practitioner to believe you have lung cancer when, in fact, there is no lung cancer present. Radiation exposure: Radiation from repeated imaging can lead to cancer in otherwise healthy people. However, the LDCT technology used for lung cancer screenings keeps radiation to a minimal level. Over-diagnosis: The radiologists may detect very slow-growing cancers on your scan that would probably never affect your health, even if left untreated. This can lead to unnecessary testing and treatment. This is why annual lung cancer screenings are only recommended if you’re at high risk and why it’s important to discuss the benefits and risks with your Mercy health expert. If you are deemed eligible, most insurance plans and Medicare cover these screenings.

If I’m Not a Candidate for Regular Lung Cancer Screenings, How Can I Reduce My Risk of Developing Lung Cancer? You can reduce your risk of developing lung cancer if you:

Don’t start smoking or quit smoking if you currently smoke. When possible, remove yourself from environments where others are smoking. Buy radon test kits and use them to test radon levels in your house. If they detect high levels of radon, contact a certified radon contractor. If you work with hazardous materials, make sure to wear proper protective equipment. Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.

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