Lung Cancer and Low-Dose CT Screening
At Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital, we believe our patients should be empowered with information, including the risks of developing lung cancer and the benefits of screening and early detection.
Screening and Early Detection
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., for both men and women. Screening individuals at high risk can dramatically improve lung cancer survival rates by detecting the disease at an earlier stage when it can be more successfully treated. If caught early, lung cancer can have a 90% survival rate.
Studies have shown that a low-dose CT scan is the only lung cancer screening tool that reduces your risk of dying from lung cancer. That is because symptoms of lung cancer usually don’t appear until the disease is already at an advanced stage. Even when lung cancer does cause symptoms, many people may mistake them for other problems, such as an infection or the long-term effects from smoking. This may delay the diagnosis. A low-dose CT screening can help detect lung cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages.
A low-dose CT scan shows changes in your lungs, which will prompt your doctor to order a test to determine if you have lung cancer. Your actual diagnosis of lung cancer is made by looking at your lung cells in a lab. If you need a lung cancer test, your doctor will decide which test is appropriate for you.
Should You Be Screened?
You should be screened for lung cancer if you meet ALL these conditions:
- You are between 50 and 80 years old.
- You have a 20 pack-year smoking history, which is calculated by multiplying the number of packs of cigarettes smoked a day by the number of years you have smoked.
- You currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years
If you have a family history of lung cancer or may have been exposed to cancer-causing elements, such as asbestos or radon gas, you should talk with your doctor about whether you need regular screenings. Many insurance plans will cover recommended lung cancer screening tests.
For more information or to schedule your scan, call (772) 388-4166.
SPiN Thoracic Navigation System
If your doctor determines that follow-up testing is needed, Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital offers specialized SPiN technology that allows doctors to customize bronchoscopy procedures for more accurate tissue sampling. Using electromagnetic technology, the SPiN Thoracic Navigation System™ provides precise guidance to reach even the smallest lung nodule. The doctor then uses specialized instruments to collect a tissue sample for biopsy. Being able reach lesions in the lungs that had been hard to reach with previous technology means we are able to provide patients with a definitive diagnosis earlier, when lung cancer is more treatable.