A new screening test has been developed to detect lung cancer in high-risk patients. This is the first test of it’s kind for early diagnoses and potential risk for lung cancer-the leading cancer killer for both men and women in the United States. According to the American Lung Association (ALA), more than half of people diagnosed with lung cancer die within a year of their diagnoses.
A new low-dose CT scan test is designed to catch lung cancer early. Lung cancer is more likely to be treatable if it is detected before it spreads. A survival rate of 5 years or more is increased to 56 percent if the cancer is diagnosed early. When lung cancer is detected later, the five-year survival rate is only 5 percent.
Many people do not know that this test is available.
The test is a low-dose CT scan is an X-ray that takes several photos of your while you lay on a table that slides in and out of the machine. The images are then combined to create a detailed picture of your lungs.
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual screening for lung cancer with a low-dose CT scan in adults ages 55 to 80 years, who have a “30 pack-year” smoking history (which is calculated by multiplying the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked) and currently smoke, or have quit smoking within the past 15 years.
Take the American Lung Association’s quiz to see if you’re eligible for the test.
Source: Yahoo Lifestyle
