Low- dose CT scans can find lung cancer early

3-minute read

Did you know a quick, pain-free imaging scan can help health clinicians find lung cancer before it causes symptoms? Low-dose CT scans are giving patients with lung cancer a valuable head start on treatment and a chance to live longer.

Cancer technology is constantly evolving. Some of the most important innovations in recent decades have come in the form of screenings, which are tests to help detect cancer early, before it causes symptoms and spreads to other areas of the body. For many forms of cancer, including lung cancer, early detection can lead to less-invasive treatment and improved survival rates.

Unlike other forms of lung cancer screening, a low-dose CT scan has been shown to reduce the risk of death from lung cancer in heavy smokers. If you smoke or did so in the past and meet certain criteria, a low-dose CT scan is well worth your time. Let's dig into some important information about this test.

The sooner, the better: The importance of early detection of lung cancer

Lung cancer is a challenging disease, which is why it's important to take advantage of opportunities that can help your healthcare provider find cancer early. The leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the U.S., lung cancer claims more lives each year than colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

When lung cancer develops, you may not know it at first. Often, the disease doesn't cause symptoms, such as coughing or chest pain, until it grows and spreads. By then, it's more difficult to treat, which makes a positive outcome less likely. If clinicians find lung cancer before it spreads, however, patients have a 60% chance of living at least five years, according to the American Lung Association.

Is a low-dose CT scan right for you?

Although radon and other factors can lead to the disease, smoking causes the vast majority of lung cancer cases. This is why only certain people are eligible for a low-dose CT scan. You need to meet the following criteria:

• Be 50 to 80 years old
• Currently smoke or have quit during the past 15 years
• Have a smoking history of at least 20 pack years, which means you smoked an average of one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years or two packs daily for 10 years
• Have no signs or symptoms of lung cancer and no previous diagnosis of lung cancer

If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can call Reid Health Central Scheduling at (765) 983-3358 and schedule your screening. If you don't meet the criteria, you may still benefit from having one, but you will need an order from your primary care provider.

Plan to have a low-dose CT scan every year until you turn 81 or haven't smoked in 15 years, suggests the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The agency also recommends stopping screenings if you develop a health problem that substantially limits or eliminates your ability or willingness to have surgery for lung cancer if clinicians were to detect it.

Searching for lung spots

What can a low-dose CT scan show? This test uses X-rays that emit a small amount of radiation to produce images of the lungs. These detailed images can show spots on the lungs called nodules.

Lung nodules are common. In fact, they exist in up to 50% of adults who have a chest X-ray or CT scan of the chest, according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Most nodules aren't cancerous, but some turn out to be lung cancer. Fewer than 5% of nodules are lung cancer, the ATS reports. A low-dose CT scan can find these spots when they're tiny and not causing symptoms. Most nodules are no bigger than a piece of oat cereal.

What to expect from a low-dose CT scan

The ACS recommends having a low-dose CT scan in a facility with experience performing these lung cancer screenings. You don't need to take or stop any medications before the test. The scan itself is quick and simple.

During the scan, you'll lie on your back on a table that will slide into the cylindrical CT machine. During the scan, which takes about a minute, a tube inside the CT scanner sends X-rays through your body. The radiation exposure from a low-dose CT scan is less than a typical CT scan.

If your images show a nodule, your clinician may want to perform additional CT scans moving forward to see if it grows. A nodule that stays the same size likely isn't cancerous. If the nodule grows, however, your clinician will want to investigate further, perhaps with more imaging tests or by taking a sample of the nodule called a biopsy.

Remember, most nodules are benign, or noncancerous. If a nodule turns out to be lung cancer, you and your clinician will discuss next steps, which may include referring you to a cancer specialist, a surgeon, or both.

It's OK to feel anxious about a lung cancer diagnosis. Fortunately, by having a low-dose CT screening, there's a good chance the cancer is still in an early stage. That gives treatment a better chance of being effective, which makes getting this quick, noninvasive imaging exam more than worth the effort.

Low-dose CT lung cancer screenings at Reid cost only $29. Request an appointment or call (765) 983-3358 to schedule one. Want to quit smoking? We have resources that can help you succeed.