Remember when you could smoke anywhere you wanted?
That was back in the day when movie stars lit up on screen, and Santa Claus delivered cigarettes for Christmas in the advertisements.
If all of that seems familiar to you, it might be time to start thinking about the possible effects of tobacco on your lungs. We all now know that smoking can cause damage, even though we might not want to think about it.
You’re not having any symptoms, you say? Well, that does not mean you shouldn’t be taking a look at your lungs. Early detection is key.
The cool thing is Mary Lanning Healthcare has a pretty quick-and-simple way to get information about what’s going on inside your lungs. It’s called the Lung Cancer Screening program, and it’s a project that involves Mary Lanning and the Morrison Cancer Center.
If you are between the ages of 50 and 80, are a current smoker or you quit smoking within the past 15 years, you might be eligible for lung cancer screening. Other criteria involves the number of packs per day you smoked over a certain time period.
Your primary care provider can talk to you about whether you meet the criteria for the Lung Cancer Screening program, and provide you a referral to the program.
The test is a five-minute exam involving low-dose radiation and a quick, non-invasive CT scan. Once you are enrolled in the program, you receive the scan once a year, like a check-up for your lungs. Nurses at the Morrison Cancer Center keep track of your results. Pretty easy, right?
Well, it’s certainly an easy way to give your spouse and children peace of mind. If any problems are detected, it’s good to catch them early when treatment is most effective.
So, give it some thought, then talk to your provider. If you still have questions about how the program works, please give us a call at 402-460-5899.