Many people don’t know they’re eligible for lung cancer screening, nurse practitioner says

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Lung cancer kills more Americans than any other cancer, largely because early signs, like breathing changes or a lingering cough, are easy to dismiss. Getting screened before it is too late can be critical.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t know that they’re eligible for lung cancer screening. And nationally, we’re only screening about 15% of eligible people.” UVA Health nurse practitioner Aimee Strong said.

Early lung cancer detection saves lives. Strong specializes in early detection and management of lung cancer at UVA Health.

“It’s super easy. So lung cancer screening is done with a low-dose CT scan of the chest. So that low-dose means that it’s using a fraction of the radiation that a normal CT scan would use.” Strong said.

Twenty percent of lung cancer patients never smoked. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is odorless and tasteless. It can seep into homes through cracks.

“You can get radon test kits. They’re available at Lowe’s and Home Depot. Actually, the Virginia Department of Health usually will send you a radon test kit if you request it.” Strong said.

The link to request a test kit can be found here.

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