Advocate Trinity Hospital issued the following announcement on Aug. 29.
A simple two-minute test is the most effective way to diagnose lung cancer, the most deadly type of cancer, according to research recently published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.
“This study reinforces what we already know: low-dose CT screenings save lives,” says Dr. Gary Chmielewksi, a thoracic surgeon at Advocate Health Care. “In addition to smoking cessation, this is the most powerful tool we have in the fight against lung cancer. I strongly urge everyone to speak with their local provider to see if screening is right for you.”
Lung cancer claims the most lives each year, with more people dying from lung cancer than from colon, breast and prostate cancers combined, according to the American Cancer Society. This is because lung cancer can grow undetected for a while before symptoms begin to show and is often incurable by the time it is diagnosed.
The recent study is a follow-up to previous research that compared diagnoses and mortality rates in more than 53,400 patients who underwent low-dose computed tomography (CT) screenings or chest radiography. The follow-up survey of this patient population reaffirmed the team’s conclusion that low-dose CT is the most effective screening tool for lung cancer and saves 20% more lives.
Low-dose CT is a simple, safe and effective test that takes only two minutes to complete. Your doctor is the best person to talk to about whether a screening is right for you. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends an annual screening for “adults aged 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.”
Original source can be found here.
Source: Advocate Trinity Hospital
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