Lung Cancer Screening Specialist

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer develops when the cells in your lungs grow uncontrollably. While it isn’t the most common form of cancer, it causes more deaths than any other type of cancer in the United States. It commonly develops after years of smoking or inhaling secondhand smoke, but you can still get it after little or no exposure to cigarette smoke. Certain chemicals and gases can also put you at risk of developing lung cancer, and you’re at a higher risk of getting it if you have family members with it. 

In the early stages, lung cancer doesn’t cause symptoms. That’s why it’s important for you to consider lung cancer screening if you’re at a greater-than-average risk. As lung cancer progresses, you might develop symptoms like:

• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• A hoarse voice
• Breath shortness
• Unexplained weight loss
• Headaches

Not every case of lung cancer is preventable. You can, however, reduce your chances of getting it by ceasing your smoking habit, avoiding secondhand smoke when you can, and living a generally healthy lifestyle. 

What is lung cancer screening?

Lung cancer screening is a way to test for lung cancer when you don’t have symptoms. At Orthopedic Center for Sports Medicine, the team provides lung cancer screening to give you peace of mind or to find your lung cancer early when it’s at its most treatable stage. 

The team will educate and properly order a LDSCT (Low Dose Screening CT of the chest) if appropriate. During your testing, you lay down on a platform as an X-ray machine uses a small amount of radiation to create detailed images of your lungs. The platform moves through the machine as it takes the images, and your provider might ask that you inhale and hold your breath briefly to create a clear picture.

Your low-dose CT scan lasts for about a minute. When it’s over, the team reviews your results and can teach you about lung cancer and the current health of your lungs. By using this imaging technique, they can catch early signs of lung cancer or other conditions affecting your lungs that require treatment. 

When do I need lung cancer screening?

You only need to get lung cancer screening if you’re at higher-than-average risk of getting lung cancer. Your physician might recommend lung cancer screening to you if:

• You’re a heavy smoker
• You were a heavy smoker in the past
• You’ve had lung cancer in the past
• You have family members with lung cancer
• You’ve worked with asbestos

If you’re not sure whether or not you’d benefit from lung cancer screening, the team at Orthopedic Center for Sports Medicine can help you decide if you should have one. 

To find out if you or a loved one needs lung cancer screening, book an appointment by phone or online at Orthopedic Center for Sports Medicine today.