Lung Cancer Screening with yearly ultra low dose CT scans of the lungs is gaining increasing national attention as the number of medical societies and expert panels recommending screening continue to increase. This article published in the New York Times on 12/9/14 highlights the effectiveness of lung cancer screening in reducing deaths from lung cancer for those who have a history of heavy smoking.
As the article is careful to point out, it is critical that lung cancer screening be performed for individuals at the highest risk to ensure that the benefits of early diagnosis of lung cancer outweigh the potential harms of false positive results. The best way to ensure that screening is effective in saving lives is to make sure that lung cancer screening is performed in the setting of a comprehensive screening program, by experts in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.
At The Oregon Clinic, we offer the highest level of care in our comprehensive lung cancer screening program. Not only are we the only Lung Cancer Screening Center in Oregon to receive the prestigious American College of Radiology designation for quality and patient safety, we are committed to taking the time to tailoring our care to the needs of individual patients including counseling and providing resources to help quit smoking, which remains the most important strategy to prevent lung cancer.