Why should I get a lung cancer screening?
If you have an increased risk of lung cancer, you should have regular check-ups. The low-dose CT scan can help to detect lung cancer at its earliest and most curable stage.
The best hope of curing lung cancer is to detect it as early as possible. The Early Lung Cancer Action Program (ELCAP research) has shown that an annual CT scan can find 85% of lung cancers at their earliest, most curable stage (Lancet 1999; 354:99-105).
A CT scan can detect tiny spots on the lungs (known as “nodules”), which may indicate lung cancer at this early stage (see image, below). With timely surgical treatment, the cure rate is 92% (New England Journal of Medicine 2006: 355: 1763-1771). Without screening, 80 – 90 % of all lung cancer patients die within 5 years of diagnosis.
The ELCAP research results, together with the results of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) (New England Journal of Medicine 2011; 365:395-409), led to the currently recommended program of clinical lung cancer prevention through early detection.
Low-dose CT of the lungs is recommended by, among others:
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
- American Cancer Society (ACS)
- American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP)
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
Is lung cancer screening still an option for me?
Smokers who have consumed at least one pack of cigarettes per day for more than 10 years – 10 pack-years (PY) – can benefit from a low-dose CT of the lungs as part of lung cancer screening.
Cough and sputum are particular indications for low-dose CT. The examination is carried out annually. The radiation exposure is very low at approx. 1 mSv – the natural annual radiation exposure is approx. 2 – 4 mSv.
