There is a misconception that you can tell if you have lung cancer, but in its early stages, when it’s most treatable, you may not notice anything different. That’s why it’s important to detect lung cancer as soon as possible.
“Early-stage lung cancer is usually asymptomatic, meaning there are no symptoms,” says Amy McClary, BSN, RN, patient navigator, Northern Light Lung Cancer Screening Program. “When people develop symptoms, such as shortness of breath, coughing, and coughing up blood, it’s usually in the later stages, and there are fewer treatment options.”
There are ways to help ensure your lungs are healthy. At Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, our Lung Cancer Screening Program helps detect lung cancer at early stages. Since 2014, the program has screened more than 11,000 patients with a low-dose CT. “Sixty percent of the cancers we detect through screening come from annual screening CTs,” says Amy. “It’s important for you to get a CT yearly if you qualify for the program. Many think that they just need one and that’s it, which isn’t the case.” Because you can’t see or feel early lung cancer, annual screenings save lives.
To qualify for a screening, patients must meet the criteria. “You must be between the ages of 50 and 80 or through 77 if you’re a Medicare patient,” explains Amy. “You also need to have a smoking history of at least a 20-pack year, which means, you smoke a pack a day for 20 years, or half a pack a day for 40 years, or a smoker that’s quit within the last 15 years.”
Although the main cause of lung cancer is smoking, other factors can play into the risk of developing lung cancer, such as exposure to radon, family history, and genetics.
For more information, you can visit northernlighthealth.org/lungcancer.