Lung cancer can affect anyone but older adults with a history of smoking cigarettes are at a higher risk. There are over 1,400 lung cancer diagnoses in Maine each year. This number may be surprising, but it is not without hope. Lung cancer screening is an effective way to detect cancer early, giving you more time and options in your treatment. MaineHealth Cancer Care offers comprehensive lung cancer screenings to test people at high risk for lung cancer.
What is lung cancer screening?
- Lung cancer screening is a way to find cancer before it causes symptoms or problems.
- Low-dose CT (LDCT) is a CAT scan used for lung cancer screening that takes pictures of your lungs. The LDCT scan is painless and takes less than five minutes. Doctors study the pictures to look for signs of cancer.
- Lung cancer screening helps find cancer. It does not prevent it.
Should I be screened for lung cancer?
Talk with your health care provider about lung cancer screening if you meet all of the following criteria:
- You are between 50-80 years old;
- You currently smoke or have quit within the last 15 years;
- You have smoked an amount that is equal to or greater than 20 pack years, such as:
- 1 pack a day for 20 years, or
- 2 packs a day for 10 years
For people who are eligible, the cost of lung cancer screening is covered by most health insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. However, the details of exactly who qualifies can vary. For example, some insurance plans may cover screening for people of slightly different ages or history of pack years. Call your health insurance company to confirm the specific details of your plan.
Learn more about lung cancer screening.
Lung Cancer Screening Shared Decision Making
If you were not sent a link to watch this video after being referred by a healthcare provider for the screening, you are still welcome to watch the video to learn more. If you want to know if lung cancer screening is right for you, talk to your primary care provider or other healthcare provider.
Want to lower your risk of lung cancer?
The best way is to stop smoking. If you want to stop, or have decided to quit, here’s help.
1-800-QUIT-NOW
MaineQuitLink.com
QuitNowNH.org
What happens when you quit smoking?
Lung Cancer FAQs
Your symptoms and your medical history—especially if you have any history of cancer in your family—will help your doctor decide how likely it is that you have lung cancer and whether you need lung cancer screening.
Lung cancer screening includes the following services:
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Lung cancer risk evaluation
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Education and counseling about lung cancer screenings
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LCDT scan and diagnosis
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Follow-up testing and treatment as needed
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Referrals to "Quit Smoking" programs, if needed
What happens if they find cancer?
Lung cancer is usually first found on a chest X-ray or a LDCT/CT scan. More tests are done to find out what kind of cancer cells you have and whether they have spread beyond your lung. These tests help your doctor and you find out what stage the cancer is in. The stage is a rating to measure how big the cancer is and how far it has spread.
Committed to Healthy Communities
Learn more about how MaineHealth is helping to decrease tobacco use.