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Lung Cancer Screening

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Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.

More people die from lung cancer every year than from breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers combined. More than three-fourths of these deaths could have been prevented if the cancer had been caught at an early stage.

Sadly, only 15 percent of lung cancer cases are being caught early enough now.

Detecting cancer early helps ensure that it is still “localized.” Once it has spread outside the lungs, the survival rate is just 3 percent. And there are usually no symptoms at all until after the cancer has spread outside the lungs.

Who Should be Screened for Lung Cancer?

If you are between the ages of 50 to 77 and have the following risk factors, you should be screened:

  • 20 pack-year history of smoking (1 pack per day for a year = 1 pack-year)
  • Current smoker
  • Former smoker within the past 15 years

What to Expect During Your Lung Cancer Screening

The screening is split into two parts:

  1. A respiratory therapist will talk to you and up to seven others about the screening process.
  2. You will receive a CT chest scan. The actual screening time of a CT scan is just two to three minutes and the machine is open, so you can still see out.

Your CT scan will be read by A UPMC Hamot radiologist and pulmonologist will read and review your CT scan. The pulmonologist will then send the results to you and your family physician.

Schedule Your Lung Cancer Screening

UPMC Hamot lung cancer screenings are administered only at the main hospital building at 201 State St. The cost of a comprehensive UPMC Hamot lung cancer CT scan screening is $200. Insurance does not cover these screenings.

Ask your physician to schedule a lung cancer screening appointment for you through Centralized Outpatient Scheduling at 814-877-6123.

Learn more about health screenings at UPMC Hamot.