Any person between the ages of 50 and 80 with a history of smoking should have a conversation with a medical professional regarding indications for screening. A benefit has been shown when low-dose CT scans are used for screening in high-risk patients. These include patients with a 20-year or more history of smoking (at one or more packs per day for more than 15 years) who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years. In individual cases, some patients over 50 with a family history of lung cancer or occupational exposures such as asbestos or arsenic may be eligible.

If you are determined to be eligible for a screening after discussion with a medical professional, you will receive a prescription or order for a CT scan. You will come into the selected location for an elective CT scan of the chest with no contrast, no IV and a low dose of radiation exposure. The test takes approximately five minutes and a radiologist will then look at the scan for any suspicious lung nodules.

No sedation is necessary, as the screening is noninvasive and painless.

No medications are administered and no needles or IV are used for the screening.

The entire process time depends on the location and the queue, but the screening test itself takes less than 10 minutes.

No proven benefit has been found for lung cancer screening in patients younger than 50 years of age, unless there are symptoms present. Please talk to your primary care provider about your concerns.

Talk to your primary care provider or directly with a pulmonologist or lung screening center for recommendations and direction.

You have the option to self-pay for your screening. At an Orlando Health screening facility, the cost for a lung cancer screening without insurance is $143.00.*

*Verify cost at the time of scheduling, as price is subject to change.

It is true that some genetic mutations occur more often in Asian patients. If there is a family history of lung cancer, you should have a discussion with your doctor regarding the benefit of screening.

Approximately 25% of CT scans may detect a lung nodule or spot. However, 96% of these nodules are benign and not of concern. The most common next step is a scheduled follow-up CT scan in a few months to monitor the nodule. Rarely, a more concerning nodule may require immediate further evaluation, such as a biopsy.

Anything that can increase your chances getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you definitely will get lung cancer. However, there are some risk factors you can change, which may reduce your likelihood of developing lung cancer. These include:

• Tobacco smoke. About 80 percent of lung cancer deaths are linked to smoking, and this number is probably even higher for small cell lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer for people who smoke is many times higher than for nonsmokers. The longer you smoke and the more packs a day you smoke, the greater your risk. Cigar smoking and pipe smoking are almost as likely to cause lung cancer as cigarette smoking.
• Smoking with other behaviors. If you smoke, you may be at an even higher risk for lung cancer if you take vitamin E supplements in doses above the recommended daily allowance, take beta carotene supplements, take hormone replacement therapy medicines (estrogen plus progestin), use alcohol heavily or vape.
• Secondhand smoke. Breathing in the smoke from others can increase your risk of developing lung cancer.
• Exposure to radon. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is produced when uranium in soil and rocks breaks down. You can’t see, taste or smell it. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in this country, and it is the leading cause among people who don't smoke. Radon is most dangerous indoors, where it’s more concentrated.
• Exposure to asbestos. People who work with asbestos, such as in mines, mills, textile plants, places where insulation is used and shipyards, are several times more likely to die of lung cancer. Lung cancer risk is much greater in workers exposed to asbestos who also smoke. People exposed to large amounts of asbestos also have a greater risk of developing mesothelioma, a type of cancer that starts in the pleura (the lining surrounding the lungs).
• Exposure to other cancer-causing agents in the workplace. Radioactive ores, such as uranium; inhaled chemicals, such as arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, silica, vinyl chloride, nickel compounds, chromium compounds, coal products, mustard gas and chloromethyl ethers; and diesel exhaust raise your risk of lung cancer.
• Taking certain dietary supplements. People who smoke should avoid taking beta carotene supplements.

There are some risk factors you can’t change. If you have any of these factors, you should talk with your primary care physician about whether you need regular screening:

• Previous radiation therapy to the lungs. If you have had radiation therapy to the chest for other cancers, you are at higher risk for lung cancer, especially if you smoke. For example, people who have been treated for Hodgkin lymphoma or women who get chest radiation after a mastectomy for breast cancer have a higher risk of lung cancer. Women who have radiation therapy to the breast after a lumpectomy do not appear to have a higher-than-expected risk of lung cancer.
• Personal or family history of lung cancer. If you have had lung cancer, you have a higher risk of developing lung cancer again. If one of your parents or a sibling had lung cancer, you may have a slightly higher risk, especially if the relative was diagnosed at a younger age. It’s not clear how much of this risk might be due to shared genes among family members and how much might be from shared household exposures, such as tobacco smoke or radon.
• Air pollution. In cities, outdoor air pollution appears to raise the risk of lung cancer slightly. This risk is far less than the risk caused by smoking.

If you are a previous or current smoker, there are some things you can do that may decrease your risk of getting lung cancer, but none have been proven. These include:

• Eat plenty of fruit.
• Get regular exercise.
• Take aspirin or celecoxib (brand name Celebrex) regularly.
• Use inhaled corticosteroids (for emphysema and asthma) regularly.

If you live or work with people who smoke, encourage them to quit and ask them not to smoke around you. Secondhand smoke can raise your risk of developing lung cancer.

In addition to avoiding smoke in your lungs, there are some healthy habits you can adopt to help lower your risk of lung cancer. Among them:

• Avoid beta-carotene supplements. Studies show that they can make lung cancer more likely in people who smoke.
• Check your home for radon. Most hardware stores carry an inexpensive and easy-to-use kit that accurately measures radon levels.
• If you work with cancer-causing chemicals, follow all the safety rules to protect yourself.
• Exercise and eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. These healthy habits will lower your risk of several forms of cancer, as well as heart disease and diabetes.