An influential advisory group, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, has recommended yearly low-dose CT screening for people who are at high risk for lung cancer.
“Modeling evidence suggests an annual screening program starting at age 55 years and ending at age 80 years (among current or former smokers with a 30 pack-year smoking history and less than15 years since quitting) resulted in approximately 50% of lung cancer cases detected at an early stage,” the task force wrote, as reported in the July 29 issue of HealthImaging magazine. HealthImaging estimated this translates into a 14 percent reduction in lung cancer mortality.
For the task force’s full recommendations, visit http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/.
Jeffrey A. Frazier, MD, a fellowship trained diagnostic radiologist and partner with Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg, noted, “While lung cancer overall is the third most common cancer detected (behind prostate and breast cancer), lung cancer will claim more lives than any other cancer, exceeding the total of prostate cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer combined. About 90% of those diagnosed with lung cancer die from the disease because it is often diagnosed later in its course when it is harder to treat.
“We are delighted to have the United States Preventive Services Task Force formally recommend a low-dose screening CT scan that we have already been offering our patients for several years,” he added. “Our low dose screening program is designed to try to catch the lung cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage, thereby saving lives.”
Medical Imaging of Fredericksburg, a partnership of Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg and Mary Washington Healthcare, has offered the screening since September 2011.
Patients who would like to be considered for low-dose CT lung cancer screening can contact Medical Imaging of Fredericksburg at 540-741-7644 or toll free 866-828-7226 (866-VCT-SCAN).