FAQs
Why is early detection key?
What is a low dose CT screening?
Can I have a low dose CT scan?
How do I schedule an appointment for a low dose CT?
Why do I need yearly low dose CT scans?
Does Insurance, Medicare/Medicaid, and the VA cover a low dose CT screening?
Will low dose CT scans expose me to radiation?
Who reads the images?
If the low dose CT scan finds something, what’s next?
Is vaping safe?
Why should I quit smoking/vaping?
Can my lungs heal if I quit smoking?
Smoking History Calculator
What are other risk factors for lung cancer?
What are the signs and symptoms of lung cancer?
What is the difference between small cell and non-small cell lung cancer?
Why should I stay in Midland for lung cancer treatment?
Why is early detection key?
Early detection is key to surviving lung cancer. If caught early the 5-year survival rate for lung cancer is 59%, but only 23% of cases are caught early. The 5-year survival rate without early detection is only about 6%. Low dose CT screening is the proven way to detect lung cancer early. For people at risk for lung cancer, a yearly low dose CT screening is recommended.
What is a low dose CT screening?
A low dose CT screening is a radiology study used to detect early lung cancer. It is called “low dose” because it uses less radiation than a traditional CT scan. In fact during this scan, you will only be exposed to about half of the radiation you get from the sun in a year. It is a fast, easy, and painless test. There are no needles involved. The person to be screened lies on his back on a special table that slides through a doughnut shaped scanner. The opening in the scanner is wide and most people tolerate it very well as they are not “closed in.” You will be instructed to hold your breath and then to breathe at different times. The entire screening takes less than 5 minutes. After the screening you will be able to leave immediately as there is no recovery needed.
Can I have a low dose CT scan?
If you meet the following criteria, you are eligible for a low dose CT screening:
- Are you between the ages of 50 and 80?
- Are you a current smoker or former smoker who quit smoking less than 15 years ago?
- Have you smoked at least 20 packs a year?
Calculate this by multiplying your average packs smoked per day by the number of years you have smoked.
- Are you not showing any symptoms of lung cancer?
Symptoms include a new or worsening cough that will not go away, unexplained weight loss, coughing up blood, new or worsening shortness of breath, chest pain and fatigue. (If you have these symptoms you will require a diagnostic test, not a screening).
Like any radiology study, a low dose CT screen requires a physician’s order. If you meet the above criteria, ask your primary care provider or your pulmonologist to order a low dose CT screening for you. If you don’t have a primary care provider, please call 432-221-3415 and we will assist you in finding one.
How do I schedule an appointment for a low dose CT?
Low dose CT scans require a physician’s order, just like any other medical test. Please contact your primary care provider or your pulmonologist, if you have one, and tell them you would like to have a low dose CT scan of your lungs. If you do not have a primary care provider, contact us at (432) 221-3415 and we can help you find one.
Why do I need yearly low dose CT scan?
If you are high-risk, we recommend a lung cancer screening exam every year until you are 80 years old or it’s been more than 15 years since you quit smoking.
Does Insurance, Medicare/Medicaid, and the VA cover a low dose CT screening?
Yes, they do. If you meet the screening criteria, it is covered completely. If you are not covered by insurance, Medicare/Medicaid, or the VA, the cost is $500.00. Financial assistance to cover this cost is available to those who need it. Please call 432-221-3415 for more information.
Will low dose CT scans expose me to radiation?
While low dose CT is considered a safe examination, you will be exposed to a low dose of radiation, the equivalent of six months of natural background exposure.
Who reads the images?
Your images will be read by one of Midland Health’s diagnostic radiologists. A radiologist is a physician who specializes in analyzing images, including CT scans, to help diagnose, monitor and treat various health conditions.
If the low dose CT scan finds something, what’s next?
If a scan is positive, it means an abnormality was detected and a doctor will consult with the patient about next steps. A positive scan doesn’t necessarily mean cancer was detected, only that the patient may need additional testing to reach a conclusive diagnosis.
Is vaping safe?
Although early studies suggest that vaping is safer than traditional cigarettes - it is still not safe and poses serious health risks. These risks include:
ASTHMA – vaping can make you more likely to get asthma and make existing asthma worse.
LUNG SCARRING - Some of the chemicals used in the flavorings cause “popcorn lung” (bronchiolitis obliterans). This scarring is permanent and results in difficulty breathing.
ORGAN DAMAGE - besides your lungs, vaping can also damage your heart and brain. Nicotine and other chemicals in vaping can hurt brain development, raise your blood pressure and narrow your arteries. Narrowing the arteries results in your organs not getting the blood and oxygen amounts they need.
EVALI (e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury) – is a serious lung condition that has resulted in DEATH in some cases. EVALI causes damage to your lungs that causes coughing, shortness of breath and chest pain. Other symptoms of EVALI are fever and vomiting.
ADDICTION – nicotine is know to be highly addictive. Addiction causes changes in your brain that make you want increasing amounts of nicotine. These changes may mean you can’t stop vaping if you want to or if it is causing you health problems. Even so called “nicotine free” vaping products have small amounts of nicotine.
CIGARETTE USE – vaping often leads to traditional cigarette use, which results in increased exposure to harmful chemicals.
CANCER – some ingredients in vaping liquids are proven to cause cancer.
EXPLOSIONS/BURNS – there have been cases of the batteries in vaping devices exploding and causing serious injuries.
Why should I quit smoking/vaping?
As soon as you quit, your body begins to repair the damage caused by smoking and continues to repair itself for many years. Health benefits include:
20 Minutes After Quitting:
- Your heart rate drops to a normal level.
12 to 24 Hours After Quitting:
- The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
- The risk of heart attack is significantly reduced
2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting:
- Your risk of having a heart attack begins to drop.
- Your lung function begins to improve.
1 to 9 Months After Quitting:
- Your coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
1 Year After Quitting:
- Your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
5 to 15 Years After Quitting:
- Your risk of having a stroke is reduced to that of a nonsmoker's.
- Your risk of getting cancer of the mouth, throat, or esophagus is half that of a smoker's.
10 Years After Quitting:
- Your risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a smoker's.
- Your risk of getting bladder cancer is half that of a smoker's.
- Your risk of getting cervical cancer or cancer of the larynx, kidney or pancreas decreases.
15 Years After Quitting:
- Your risk of coronary heart disease is the same as that of a nonsmoker.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004.
Can my lungs heal if I quit smoking?
Your lungs begin healing as soon as you quit smoking. The rate at which your lungs heal will vary based on how long you were a smoker.
Smoking History Calculator
How to calculate your "pack years": you take the number of packs of cigarettes you smoke in a day (or use to smoke) and multiply it by the number of years you have smoked. For example:
1 pack per day for 20 years, would be 1 x 20 years = 20 pack years.
1/2 pack per day for 30 years, would be 0.5 x 30 years = 15 pack years.
2 packs per day for 25 years, would be 2 x 25 years = 50 pack years.
A pack is based on 20 cigarettes, so 1/2 a pack would be 10 cigarettes, and a 1/4 of a pack would be 5 cigarettes.
What are other risk factors for lung cancer?
Although smoking is the main risk factor for lung cancer, there are others. After smoking exposure to radon, a colorless, odorless gas puts you most at risk for lung cancer. Radon occurs naturally in rocks, soil, and water; but can become trapped in buildings and homes. Nearly 1 out of 15 homes in the US have high levels of radon (You can purchase a test kit to check your home for radon or hire someone to do it). Workplace exposure to some substances such as asbestos, arsenic, diesel exhaust, and some forms of silica and chromium can also increase your chances of getting lung cancer. Living in areas with high air pollution increases your risk. Exposure to secondhand smoke also puts you at a higher risk.
What are the signs and symptoms of lung cancer?
Some of the symptoms of lung cancer include coughing that gets worse and doesn’t go away, coughing up blood, unintentional weight loss, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain and feeling very tired all the time. If you have any of these symptoms consult with your primary care provider immediately. He/she may need to order a different kind of (not low dose) CT scan.
What is the difference between small cell and non-small cell lung cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society small cell cancers (sometimes also called oat cell cancers) make up about 10% to 15% of lung cancers. This cancer is most likely to affect smokers and former smokers (93% of cases). They typically grow quickly and spread faster than non-small lung cancers. Because they grow quickly, they tend to respond well to chemotherapy and radiation. Unfortunately, they also tend to recur at some point.
Non-small cell cancers make up about 80% to 85% of lung cancers. These cancers are most common in people with a history of smoking, but also are the most common lung cancers in people who never smoked. They are more likely to occur in younger people than non-small cell lung cancer and are more common in women than men. Adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinomas are the most common sub types of non-small cell lung cancers. They are grouped together because they generally are treated similarly and have similar prognoses (outcomes).
Cancers that started in other organs can sometimes spread to the lungs. These cancers are not lung cancers. They are treated differently depending on which organ they started in.
Why should I stay in Midland for lung cancer treatment?
Why leave the comfort of your home and incur the inconvenience, stress, and expense of travel for cancer treatment? Midland is fortunate to be home to the Texas Oncology-Midland Allison Cancer Center. The cancer center offers a robust array of leading-edge treatment options. Texas Oncology-Midland Allison Cancer Center is how Texans fight cancer. They’re proud to call Midland home, and they understand what it means to be part of this community.
They also understand the importance of being close to your support network when you’re fighting cancer. Their comprehensive cancer center is staffed with knowledgeable and supportive teams to tend to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other vital services. They have diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, an on-site pharmacy and a Look Good Feel Good shop to help make the process more manageable and convenient for their patients.