LOW DOSE CT SCREENING DETECTS LUNG CANCER EARLY – screening offers hope for smokers and former smokers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, CAMBRIDGE, MA, February 9, 9:23 AM: Lung cancer is the most deadly form of cancer in both men and women, mainly because there has been no effective way to screen those who are at risk and many people are at risk because they smoke or have smoked in the past. This is changing thanks to a new screening tool now being offered at Mount Auburn Hospital, a major WorldPath Health affiliate.

          Low-dose CT scanning, is a safe and effective way to detect lung tumors at their earliest, most treatable stage. The exposure to radiation is much lower than a regular CT scan. The low-dose scan allows for the detection of small cancerous nodules. If an abnormality is found, a comprehensive program can provide the necessary treatment, which hopefully means a cure.

         The results of a ten-year study has provided clear evidence that screening current or former heavy smokers annually cuts lung cancer death by 20 percent. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that individuals at high risk for lung cancer be screened annually using this method. Low-dose CT lung screening is an easy test to take. It takes less than one minute and does not require admission to the hospital.

          “Our goal is to detect smaller cancers,” says Leila Khorashadi, MD, who directs cardiothoracic radiology at Mount Auburn “At that stage of cancer, we can offer many patients a surgical cure or, on occasion, radiofrequency ablation. The important thing is that we can offer many patients a cure.”

          “We are excited to offer Low Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening to our patients,” said Guy Rochman, MD, CEO of WorldPath Health. “It is our hope that access to this important new screening test, will be life saving and life re-defining for many of our patients who are smokers, former smokers, and those who have had exposure to severe air pollution. We will now be able to discover lung cancers early enough that we can cure them.”

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