NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — As November, which is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, draws to a close, Southcoast Health is reminding the communities that it serves of the importance of early detection in the treatment of lung cancer.

The Southcoast Lung Screening Program offers low-dose CT scans to people who are at high risk for developing lung cancer. The goal of the program is to find signs of lung cancer before symptoms appear.

According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Yet, of the four most common cancers — lung, prostate, breast and colon — it is the only without a widely adopted preventive screening test.

To qualify for Southcoast Health’s Lung Screening Program, a patient must meet the following criteria:

• Age 50 to 80
• Smoking history of greater than 20 pack years (number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by the number of years smoked)
• If ex-smoker, quit within the last 15 years
• No personal history of previous lung cancer

In addition to Medicare and Medicaid, this screening is covered by most insurances. Prospective patients should call the program or insurance company to confirm coverage, however.

Request more information on a lung cancer screening today.