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GREENSBURG – November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. In addition to this hospital, the Decatur County Memorial Hospital now offers lung cancer screening for $ 25.
Non-invasive and painless screening is low-dose computerized tomography for people with a history of smoking.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States for both men and women. The majority of lung cancers are caused by smoking and are usually not detected until the onset of symptoms. At this point, the disease is often more advanced, making treatment less likely.
Low-dose CT scans allow earlier detection when lung cancer is most easily treatable and curable.
The results of the National Lung Screen Trial (NLST) reveal that the risk of death from lung cancer was 15 to 20% lower in people who received a low-dose computed tomography scan than in those who received a standard chest x-ray.
What are your risks?
You are considered high risk if you are:
• A current smoker or a former smoker aged 55 to 77 AND you have a pack of 30 per year
• Over 50 with a pack of 20 and over a year, plus:
o exposure to radon or to carcinogenic substances of occupational origin (asbestos, arsenic, diesel fumes, etc.)
o Family history of lung cancer
o COPD or pulmonary fibrosis
o Personal history of cancer or lymphoma
Discuss your medical history, screening risks and benefits with your doctor.
What you can do
• If you smoke, stop smoking!
• avoid exposure to second-hand smoke
• Make your home and work environment smoke-free.
• Test your radon in your home.
• Be aware of industrial compounds.
"Nothing is more important than knowing the health of your lungs. The more risk factors you have, the more screening you need, "says Dr. Robert Hasson, a radiologist at DCMH.
For more information on lung cancer screening at $ 25 DCMH, call 812-663-1157.
Information provided by DCMH
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