RAEFORD – If there's a constant when it comes to smoking, it's the associated health risks. The more people smoke, the greater their risk for getting lung cancer. But annual screening can help reduce the risk.
Hoke Hospital now offers annual lung cancer screenings using low-dose CT scans. The testing takes just minutes and can even be done on weekends for greater convenience.
“We can get patients in and out,” said Clyde Hough, Hoke Healthcare Imaging Director. “No one else is doing these tests on the weekend.”
Experts recommend annual lung cancer screenings for smokers without symptoms, starting at age 55, if they have smoked one pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years. Testing is also recommended for those who have quit in the past 15 years.
Roughly 175,000 Americans are newly diagnosed with the disease every year. Another 163,000 people die from it during that same time span, making lung cancer the leading cause of death in the U.S.
The disease is often fatal when detected too late for effective treatment. But a recent study revealed lung cancer screenings can reduce death rates by up to 20 percent in certain situations. Early detection is the key.
X-rays were once the only avenue for detecting lung cancer. Now low dose-CT scans are the preferred method. The imaging technique can reveal small lesions in the lungs that might not appear in traditional X-rays.
The advantage comes from the way CT scanners take pictures. Their X-ray camera rotates around the patient, taking cross-sections, or slices, of the body. The images are then spliced back together by powerful computer software. The final images are infinitely more detailed than X-ray stills.
Hoke Hospital uses a new GE Optima 64-slice CT scanner, which is far more powerful than previous-generation 32-slice scanners. Testing can take five minutes or less. Appointments are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Patients are given a short questionnaire about their cancer risk prior to testing. Questions ask about risk factors and family cancer history. Patients are also asked if they have had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, lung scarring or known exposure to Radon, which increases risk for lung cancer.
After the CT tests are done and read by a radiologist, any abnormal findings are sent to Cape Fear Valley Lung Nodule Clinic for further review. If cancerous growths or abnormalities are discovered, the results are forwarded to the patient’s primary care physician. Tests are then performed to determine the cancer stage and the best treatment option.
A physician referral is required for the tests, which are covered by Medicare and many other insurance plans. Medicare does require patients to be between age 55 and 77 and have initial consultations before a testing decision is made.
To learn more about the procedure or to make an appointment, contact your primary care physician or Hoke Radiology at (910) 904-8031.