Efforts Continue to Increase Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer is the fastest killing cancer disease. Cancer screening is essential for patients who are 55 to 74 years of age and who did not quit smoking 15 years ago. Continuous testing among patients has many morbidity benefits.

Over 15,000 patients enrolled in the NELSON trial. Half of the patients received CT screening while the other half did not receive the scan. Ten years down the trial, results showed that screening reduced lung cancer mortality by 26% and the risk of diagnosis with lung cancer was reduced by 39% to 61% during the years of follow up. What you need to know about lung cancer screening:

·         Primary considerations for screening - Patients of ages of 55 to 74 who have smoked at least a pack of cigarette each day for 30 years are eligible for cancer standard procedures and screening.  Your primary care doctor can recommend you for cancer screening, but if the patient is severely ill, screening is postponed. The essential considerations for lung cancer screening are smoking status, age, and whether you quit screening or not.

·         Patients who fall short of the screening – Some patients in North Texas may fall short of screening. This is due to lack of insurance, or your insurance does not cover lung cancer screening. Other organizations recommend a slightly different screening approach since they apply to patients with lower years per pack of smoking and also a broader age range.

The NELSON trial data showed that patients from a broader age range and diverse categories can have lung cancer. Those exposed to smoking can also suffer lung cancer, thus the need for screening. There is a need for tailored cancer screening to reduce the risk category. If you are a smoker and you are above 55 years, you should have a lung cancer screening to ensure your lungs are not affected.