Lung Cancer Screening
Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the U.S., but early detection increases the likelihood of positive long-term outcomes. Providence offers screenings to detect lung cancer in the early stages – when it’s most treatable.
We strive to empower you to take control of your respiratory health. Undergoing a lung cancer screening can help detect early-stage lung cancer, even if symptoms aren’t apparent. If you’re at risk, take this important step and schedule your screening today.
What is a Lung Cancer Screening?
Lung cancer screening is a low-dose CT scan that detects lung cancer in people who aren’t necessarily showing symptoms of the disease. Often, lung cancer symptoms don’t appear until the disease has already spread.
It’s used as a preventive measure that can provide peace of mind and better chances of survival for those who develop cancer symptoms. We understand scheduling a screening appointment can be frightening, but our caregivers are with you every step of the way.
Providence follows National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Those guidelines recommend annual lung cancer screenings for people who are:
- 50-80 years of age
- Have a 20 pack-year smoking history
- Currently smoke or have quit smoking within the past 15 years
Adults that fit these criteria face a dramatically higher risk of developing lung cancer or other lung diseases.
Additional risk factors might include:
- Family history of lung cancer
- Exposure to asbestos, radon, arsenic or other carcinogens
The screening scan is fast and painless. It’s a low-dose CT scan, meaning it uses 75% less radiation than standard CT scans.
The scan creates a 3D-image of your lung with more detail than a standard chest X-ray. Low-dose CT screenings can detect even small abnormalities and are considered the gold standard in finding lung cancer at its earliest, most curable stage.
You’ll typically receive your results a week after your scan. A Providence caregiver will contact you to review them together. Your primary care physician also receives the results and may contact you to discuss next steps if necessary.
Because a low-dose CT scan involves a lower amount of radiation exposure than a traditional CT scan, it’s a proven and safe way to screen for lung cancer. Despite the CT scan being low dose, it still involves slight exposure to radiation.
Some complications may occur, including possible false-positive results and overdiagnosis.
To prevent false positives and overdiagnosis, the diagnostic images are carefully reviewed by a team of experts to determine diagnosis and create personalized treatment plans that may include monitoring, biopsy or treatment.
If you receive a diagnosis of lung cancer, then we can refer you to one of our board-certified physicians or lung cancer specialists – including specialized thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists.
Our mission is to ensure your long-term health, no matter your diagnosis or condition. At Providence, you'll always receive expert, compassionate and comprehensive treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most private health plans, Medicaid and Medicare cover lung cancer screening if you meet the criteria. However, coverage does vary from state to state.
We recommend contacting your insurance carrier to check your coverage.
Yes, you need a referral from your primary care doctor or another specialist.
They see you and discuss whether you meet the recommended criteria – outlined above – and the possible benefits and risks. Then, together you decide if a lung cancer screening is right for you.
Our caregivers will do their best to work with your primary care provider to order the screening exam. We can also try to help you establish a relationship with a primary care provider if you don’t currently have one.
Tobacco smoking is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer. Quitting smoking is hard but Providence is here to help. From medications to support groups and beyond, we can help you quit. Some Providence locations even offer dedicated tobacco cessation classes.
During your lung cancer screening, talk to our caregivers about the support resources that are available to you.
A pack-year is used to describe how many cigarettes you have smoked in your lifetime, with a pack equal to 20 cigarettes.
- If you have smoked a pack a day for the last 20 years, or two packs a day for the last 10 years, you have 20 pack-years.
In other words, pack-years is a way to measure smoking exposure, taking into account how long and how much you have smoked.