x
Breaking News
More () »

Screening for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Northeast Pennsylvania.  That’s according to the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, which ...

 

Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Northeast Pennsylvania.  That's according to the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, which used State Department of Health numbers to determine that the incidence rate is 14 percent higher than the average rate in the United States.

Screening for lung cancer is possible, and doctors now point out that Medicare, and some insurance companies, are starting to pick up the tab for the screenings, if you qualify.

It may look intimidating, but do not be afraid of this machine!  That's what the professionals at Geisinger Viewmont Imaging in Dickson City say.  Lead tech Paul Chiricos says it's a CAT scan machine, used on diagnoses ranging from a sinus infection to cancer.

"Where X-rays are two dimensional, cat scans are 3 dimensional. So we get to see inside, get a lot more info than we would on a regular X-ray," said Chiricos.

And that is especially important when checking your lungs, according to radiologist Dr. Jeffrey Blum.  He showed us a scan of an actual patient with tiny nodules in his or her lungs, which he says is common.  In a case like this, with nodules so tiny, he says he'd recommend the patient be screened again in one year.  If he were to find something more troubling, there are a number of steps he and the patient could take to treat it, such as further scans or visits to a specialist.

"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men worldwide. and now it's the leading cause of death in women in developing countries, recently surpassing breast cancer," Dr. Blum told us.

Using a low-dose CT scan as a preventative screen for lung cancer isn't new.  But what is new, according to workers here, is that insurance companies are now starting to cover the cost of it, meaning more people can get the few-minutes long scan for peace of mind, at the very least.

"That's it for most things. The earlier you find it, the quicker you can treat it, the better the outcome for the patient," Chiricos said.

According to Medicare's website, they've been covering low-dose CT lung cancer screenings since February.  There are criteria you'll have to meet before yearly screening can be covered, such as being a certain age and having been a heavy smoker.  If you think you could be a candidate you should talk to your own doctor.

 

Before You Leave, Check This Out