Are you a smoker or former smoker and worried about your risk of lung cancer?
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of death from cancer in the U.S., and cigarette smoking is the single biggest risk factor.
If you or someone you love has a significant smoking history you need to know about new lung cancer screening recommendations.
Screening for lung cancer is a relatively new recommendation that is based on the results from the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial and years of clinical research. The research demonstrates that in certain people, screening can prevent one in five deaths from lung cancer through early detection and treatment.
Our Guidelines for Lung Cancer Screening
At MD Anderson Cooper we recommend screenings for those who fit the criteria established by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force and other national cancer organizations.
To be a candidate for lung cancer screening, an individual must:
- Be 55 to 74 years old.
- Be a smoker or a person who quit smoking less than 15 years ago.
- Have a smoking history of 30 pack years. (One pack year is equal to smoking one pack of cigarettes every day for 30 years, or two packs per day for 15 years.)
Our Program
Our Lung Cancer Screening Program takes a comprehensive approach to screening and treatment and involves a multidisciplinary team of experts from pulmonary medicine/interventional pulmonology, radiology, thoracic surgery, radiation oncology and thoracic oncology, as well as smoking cessation specialists and nurse practitioners. The team thoroughly reviews each case and identifies a plan for every patient. Our goal is to provide patients at risk for developing lung cancer with individualized, evidence-based screening, and when necessary, follow-up care and treatment.
Our program includes:
- Personalized lung cancer risk evaluation and clinical assessment.
- Low-dose spiral CT scan.
- CT scan review and interpretation by our dedicated and experienced team.
- Recommendations from our expert team on managing any abnormalities.
- Continuity of care and ongoing monitoring.
- Smoking cessation counseling and treatment for active smokers.
Lung cancer screening at MD Anderson Cooper is available at two convenient locations — at our main Health Sciences Campus in Camden or in our suburban center in Voorhees.
Have questions about insurance coverage or out-of-pocket costs? Want to schedule your screening?
Contact our Lung Cancer Screening Program Coordinator at 856.735.6235.