Salem, OR: Salem Cancer Institute begins new LC screening

[NikoleV]

Salem Cancer Institute begins new lung cancer screening program

Feb. 4, 2013 7:43 AM

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article ... ck_check=1

Salem Cancer Institute has begun a new lung cancer screening program in an effort to detect the disease in at-risk populations earlier, increasing survival rates.

The low-dose computed tomography scan, education and results tracking program is open to people who are 55 to 74 years old, current or past smokers and have no symptoms of a lung condition or a history of lung cancer.

The program costs $99, but scholarships are available for those who can’t afford the fee. Most insurance plans don’t cover lung cancer screenings.

Lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., killing 166,000 people annually. More than 75 percent of lung cancer cases are caught in the late stages, when five-year survival rates drop to less than 15 percent.

For information, call the Salem Cancer Institute at (503) 561-7726.

http://www.salemhealth.org/cancer/