November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, so it is a good time to talk about the importance of lung cancer screening.
Lung cancer screening is a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scan that helps detect lung cancer early when it is more likely to be curable. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual screening for people who meet the following criteria:
- Are between the ages of 50 and 80
- Have a 20-pack-year smoking history*
- Currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years
* Pack-years are obtained by multiplying the average number of packs a person has smoked per day by the number of years they have smoked. Therefore, one pack a day for 20 years gets you 20 pack years, but so does two packs a day for 10 years, or half a pack a day for 40 years.
If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, you want an effective treatment option to fight the disease. Given the lung’s delicate nature and the complex network of blood vessels and tissues surrounding it, traditional treatments often risk significant damage to these critical structures. The CyberKnife System, which is what we use at St. Louis CyberKnife to treat lung cancer, however, targets tumors without harming the surrounding healthy tissue. This precision is important in maintaining the lung’s function so patients can retain their quality of life during and after treatment. Treatments are quick, non-invasive, and have little to no side effects or recovery time.
If you or a loved one is facing a lung cancer diagnosis, St. Louis CyberKnife is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our services and to schedule a consultation.