For Your Health: Lung Cancer Screening Save Lives

Lung cancer is one of the scariest and deadly diseases across the globe. It is a leading cause of numerous deaths worldwide. The biggest concern of developing lung cancer is for smokers and ex-smokers.

However, there’s a sigh of relief for people at high risk of lung cancer. With effective lung cancer screening, ex-smokers and heavy smokers can easily detect this cancer at an early stage when it’s easy to treat. The Screening and Lung Cancer Treatment at RGCIRC has successfully lowered the risk of death from lung cancer in the past few years.

Lung Cancer Screening

While the fight with lung cancer is not over yet, patients can prevent themselves from a scary lung cancer death with accurate screening. This screening test is termed low-dose computed tomography (or low dose CT). The testing procedure is easy and quick. It’s recommended for everyone who’s at a high risk of developing lung cancer.

Usually, people between the age of 55 and 77 – be they ex-smokers or current – are eligible for the screening test. If you believe that you are eligible for lung cancer screening, you need to consult a professional health care provider near you. The expert will further guide you through the process and even determines whether or not you need the screening test.

Evidence Supporting Screening

Low-dose CT screening is a combination of computer components and X-ray to provide a clear image of the inside of the chest. The test makes use of less ionizing radiation that damages the cells and leads to their malfunction.

Unlike the conventional means of chest scanning, this advanced Low-dose CT screening test has been proven to notably minimize mortality caused by lung cancer. Even several clinical trials across the globe have proven to find great benefits. To be precise, there has been around a 20% to 60% reduction in the death rate after the introduction of this life-saving screening technology.

According to the National Lung Screening Trial conducted in 2011, a particular group of patients was offered an annual low-dose CT for chest scanning while another group received an annual chest X-ray over two years and that too in the three rounds of screening.

This test took over six years and it was found that there were 20% more deaths in tests done via chest X-ray compared to the low-dose CT group. This proves that low-dose CT screening is an effective and trusted way of detecting lung cancer at an early stage.

Safety and Effectiveness of Low-Dose CT Screening

The low-dose screening is quite safe. During the screening test, patients are asked to hold their breath for up to 10 seconds. The test further makes use of minimal radiation (similar to the one required for a mammogram). Due to the low-dose of radiation entering one’s body, there’s no proven risk of any damage or harm.

Since the screening test is the most advanced so far, patients need not worry about any false-positive rests. In short, there will be no false report generation after advanced CT screening of lung cancer.

Getting a Low-Dose CT Screening Test

If you want to get the screening test done, it’s available at the leading hospitals or institutes working on developing programs for lung cancer screening and treatment. Various centers conduct these tests in every state, city, and country. Even mobile CT units are also provided in some cities to offer easy screen results in no time.

When a patient is about to get this test at a hospital, he/she is asked a few questions to ensure they come under the high-risk category of lung cancer. Being proactive during the screening is beneficial for the patient, as it will help the physician to determine the level of risk to a person.

Conclusion

Finding the screening’s risks and advantages usually vary from patient to patient. However, choosing to screen you is your personal decision. While it’s easier for many people, it may be complicated for some. So, it’s best to consult an expert health care provider.

You must have a thorough conversation with a healthcare provider about the screening test, especially if you have a long history of smoking. Lung cancer screening is the biggest and necessary step for smokers who recently quit smoking. This is the right way to prevent them from the danger of lung cancer while feeling motivated to remain smoke-free.