Lung cancer screening: The one-minute test that could save your life.
Samuel Oliver, M.D.
Pulmonologist and critical care physician at Sentara Martha Jefferson Medical and Surgical Associates
Tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer. If you smoke or smoked, you can take charge of your health and get a simple test that screens for lung cancer. Finding lung cancer early increases your chances of successful treatment.
Lung cancer screening flies under the radar. People regularly get mammograms to screen for breast cancer, Pap tests to look for cervical cancer and colonoscopies to find colon cancer. Yet few people get screened for lung cancer—even though lung cancer causes more deaths each year than breast, cervical and colon cancers put together.
Last year, only 7 percent of eligible people in Virginia got screened for lung cancer. That’s better than the national average of 4 percent, but it’s still much too low. Many people who should get screened do not realize they need it—but it’s the best way to find lung cancer early, when it’s most treatable.
Who Is Eligible for Lung Cancer Screening?
Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, but it is the cancer responsible for the most deaths. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Lung cancer is very treatable, even curable, when it’s found in its early stages. Yet most people with lung cancer don’t notice symptoms until it’s already advanced.
That’s where screening comes in. Screening tests check for problems like cancer before you feel any symptoms. Experts recommend people at high risk of lung cancer get an annual low-dose CT scan. This special X-ray can spot signs of lung cancer early, before it has spread. When lung cancer is diagnosed at its smallest, earliest stage, there’s a 75 percent chance of living five years or longer. When it’s diagnosed after it has spread to other parts of the body, however, fewer than 5 percent of people live more than five years.
Healthcare providers recommend annual lung cancer screening for many people who currently smoke or have smoked. Experts say you should get the test if you:
- Are 50 to 80 years old
- Currently smoke or quit within the last 15 years
- Have smoked 20 pack-years in your lifetime
A pack-year is equal to the number of packs smoked per day times the number of years you smoked. For example, 20 pack-years can equal:
- One pack per day for 20 years
- Two packs per day for 10 years
- Half a pack per day for 40 years
Lung Cancer Screening Pros and Cons
Lung cancer screening is a simple test. The scan itself takes less than a minute. It uses a lower dose of radiation than other types of CT scans. The small amount of radiation you get from the test, even if you have it annually, is unlikely to cause any problems. And spotting cancer early could save your life.
For many people, the hardest part of the test is dealing with any unusual results. And often, the screening test does find a shadow or spot on the lung. Most of the time, though, those suspicious spots are caused by something else, like infections or scar tissue from past illnesses. Only 3 to 5 of every 100 abnormal scans turn out to be cancer.
If there is a suspicious finding on your lung scan, your doctor might recommend more testing. It can feel frustrating to have to do more tests, but it’s well worth it if your doctor catches cancer early. Additional testing may include:
- Follow-up CT scan
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan, an imaging test that provides more information about the suspicious area
- Biopsy to take a sample of the suspicious cells and analyze them under a microscope
Lung Cancer Care at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
If your screening test does find a suspicious spot, we send the results to our fast-track thoracic clinic. We’ll make sure you’re connected quickly to a pulmonologist or thoracic surgeon to talk about next steps. If further testing identifies a tumor or any other lung condition, our experienced providers can help you manage the next steps. The multidisciplinary team at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital offers a full spectrum of care for lung cancer, from diagnosis through treatment.
Nobody likes thinking about cancer. It may feel easier not to know. But if you have lung cancer, it’s there, regardless of whether you know about it. Getting screened is a simple way to take control of your health and improve your chances of a successful outcome. If you have a history of smoking, talk to your primary care doctor about getting the test.
Low-dose CT scans are a valuable tool for preventing advanced lung cancer and saving lives. But that tool only works if you use it. Talk to your doctor to find out if lung screening is right for you.