Lung Health Clinic

Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. Early detection increases the five-year survival rate for stage 1 lung cancer to nearly 90 percent. *

Medicare and many private insurance companies cover all or a portion of the cost of lung cancer screenings. Please check with your individual insurer.

Contact Information

Lung Health, Lung Cancer Screening & Lung Nodule Clinic

1407 South County Trail, Bldg. 4, Suite 430A
East Greenwich, RI 02818
P: 401-886-7910
F: 401-886-7913

Lung Cancer Facts

Lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, making up almost 25% of all cancer deaths.
Each year, more people die of lung cancer than colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined.
On a positive note, the number of new lung cancer cases continues to decrease, partly because people are quitting smoking. (Call 1-800-Quit-Now)
Also, the number of deaths from lung cancer continues to drop due to advances in early detection and new treatment options.

Lung Cancer Screening

Medicare and many private insurance companies cover all or a portion of the cost of lung cancer screenings. Please check with your individual insurer.

Benefits of Screening

Screening for individuals at high risk has the potential to dramatically improve lung cancer survival rates by finding the disease at an earlier stage when it is more likely to be curable. **
Early detection, by low-dose CT screening, can decrease lung cancer mortality by 14 to 20 percent among high-risk populations.
About 8 million Americans qualify as high risk for lung cancer and are recommended to receive annual screening with low-dose CT scans.
If half of these high-risk individuals were screened, over 12,000 lung cancer deaths could be prevented.
Screening can bring peace of mind when the results come back normal which, is the majority of cases.
Annual screenings for lung cancer are an opportunity to reassess lifestyle choices, re-affirm continued smoking cessation if still smoking, make a plan to cut down or quit with assistance from your healthcare team.

Risks of Screening

False-positive results – abnormalities that turn out not to be cancer but need to be assessed*
Over-diagnosis – Screening CTs can find tumors that, had they not been found, would not have caused harm or death to a patient in their natural lifetime
Radiation exposure – any radiation exposure carries risk. Lung cancer screening radiation dosage is lower than a regular CT scan.
Anxiety- A cancer screening may cause some stress and worry, particularly as one waits for the results, or if the results show an abnormality.
False reassurance – A negative (normal) screening is not a guarantee that cancer won't develop in the future

Designated Lung Cancer Screening Center

You can trust the experts at Care New England to provide safe, effective lung cancer screenings because we are an American College of Radiology (ACR) Designated Lung Cancer Screening Center.

Radiologists monitor all CT scans for irregular, suspicious nodules, regardless of the reason for your scan.

Some nodules are found incidentally. When that occurs, evidence based “Fleischner Society” guidelines are applied withrecommendations for management.

For Lung Cancer Screening CT scans, also known as low dose CT scans (LDCT), a LungRAD score is applied based on a number of characteristics including size, and growth detected over a period of time as compared to prior imaging studies.

If your scan shows an area of concern, your radiologist will share the results with your primary care provider.

You may be referred to the Lung Nodule Clinic for a pulmonary consult.

FAQs

Who is at risk for Lung Cancer?

*Anyone can get lung cancer, non-smokers as well as smokers.

Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor.
Other risk factors include:
Radon
Second-hand smoke
Asbestos, arsenic, diesel exhaust, silica, chromium.
Personal or Family History of Lung Cancer

Who Should Be Screened for Lung Cancer ?

***The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual screening for adults who meet the following criteria:

Age 55 and 75
Current smoker or quit within past 15 years
History of heavy smoking - at least a 30-pack year history (For example, an average of a pack a day for 30 years, or two packs per day for 15 years)
No current signs or symptoms of lung cancer*
You may also qualify if you are over age 50 with other risk factors.

Talk with your doctor about the personal risks and benefits of screening.

What are the signs and symptoms of Lung Cancer?

**The most common symptoms of lung cancer are:

A cough that does not go away or gets worse
Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)
Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
Hoarseness
Loss of appetite
Unexplained weight loss
Shortness of breath
Feeling tired or weak
Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back
New onset of wheezing

How Do You Screen for Lung Cancer?

Kent-Lung-Clinic **The only recommended screening test for lung cancer is low-dose computed tomography (also called a low-dose CT scan, or LDCT).

*During an LDCT scan, you lie on a table and a CT scanner uses a low dose (amount) of radiation to make detailed images of your lungs.

The scan only takes a few minutes and is not painful.
No fasting required, no needles, no injection.
You can stay in your own comfortable clothing.

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