You have a lot to look forward to, whether it’s your grandson’s baseball game or your weekend barbecue, so now is the time to consider a lung screening. Even if you kicked the habit years ago, you still may be at risk for lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Thanks to low-dose radiation CT scans, we can now detect cancer before symptoms even begin.
AM I A CANDIDATE FOR LUNG CANCER SCREENING?
Based on the American Cancer Society screening guidelines, lung cancer screening is recommended for people who:
- Are 50-80 years old and in fairly good health, and
- Currently smoke or have quit in the past 15 years, and
- Have at least a 20 pack-year smoking history*
* This is the number of packs of cigarettes per day multiplied by the number of years you smoked. For example, someone who smoked 2 packs a day for 10 years [2 x 10 = 20] has 20 pack-years of smoking, as does a person who smoked 1 pack a day for 20 years [1 x 20 = 20].
WILL MY INSURANCE COVER MY SCREENING?
Yes, if you meet the risk criteria you are eligible for a full CT scan and lung cancer screening. Also, if you have Medicare your screening may be covered.
An order from your primary care physician is required to schedule a lung cancer screening.
HOW DO I SCHEDULE MY SCREENING?
If you have an order from your primary care physician, please call Central Scheduling at 609.853.7070. If you do not have a primary care physician, or have any questions, please call our Nurse Navigator at 609.853.6787 for assistance.
LOW-DOSE CT SCREENING (LDCT)
A Low-Dose CT Screening, LDCT is the most reliable way to detect lung cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage. Penn Medicine Princeton Health’s team of experts in medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology and radiology are using this innovative screening to detect and treat lung cancer earlier.
