TriStar Health Launches Lung Cancer Screening Program
http://tristarhealth.com/February 23, 2012
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (February 22, 2012) — TriStar Health’s Sarah Cannon Cancer Center is pleased to offer a specialized lung cancer screening program in Middle Tennessee, utilizing low-dose CT technology to aid in the early detection of various lung cancers and improve the overall survival rate. Results from the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) reveal that low-dose CT scans reduce the lung cancer mortality rate by 20 percent when compared to screening with a traditional chest x-ray.
“Lung cancer typically develops and grows unnoticed for years before symptoms arise that lead to diagnosis and treatment,” said Scott Montesi, M.D., radiologist at Radiology Alliance. “The new lung cancer screening provides a more detailed picture of a person’s lungs than traditional chest x-rays, allowing us to better identify even the smallest tumors at an early stage when lung cancer is most treatable and survival rates are the highest.”
The lung cancer screening program is currently offered at TriStar Sarah Cannon Cancer Center locations at TriStar Centennial and TriStar Summit Medical Centers and provides high-risk patients annual low-dose CT scans to identify lung cancer in the early stages. The screening will be available at additional TriStar Sarah Cannon Cancer Center locations later this year.
The lung cancer screening program at TriStar Sarah Cannon Center was developed based on the guidelines set forth by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), which include recommendations for identifying high-risk populations, screening protocol, evaluation and follow-up course of actions. According to the NCCN guidelines, an essential goal is to identify the populations that are at a high risk for developing lung cancer.
High-risk individuals eligible for the lung cancer screening include current or former smokers, 55 years of age or older, who have smoked the equivalent of one pack of cigarettes per day for at least 30 years. The screening is also available for individuals at least 50 years of age or older if they have smoked one pack of cigarettes per day for at least 20 years and have one additional risk factor, including cancer history, lung disease history, family history of lung cancer, radon exposure or occupational exposure.
The cost of a lung cancer screening is $250, which includes the CT scan and radiologist fee. This preventive screening is not currently reimbursed by health insurance. Patients who meet the criteria will have their CT scans read by a multi-disciplinary team of TriStar physicians, including a pulmonologist, thoracic surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist and radiologist.
To find out if you qualify for a CT lung cancer screening and to schedule an appointment, please call TriStar MedLine at (615) 342-1919 (800) 242-5662.
TriStar Health is the region’s largest, most comprehensive healthcare provider with 18 hospitals and 10 ambulatory surgery centers in Tennessee, South Central Kentucky and Northern Georgia. As a system, our hospitals are supported by approximately 5,300 physicians and nearly 13,000 employees. TriStar Health facilities feature state-of-the-art technology and pioneer new medical procedures every day to accommodate the needs of the more than 110,000 patient admissions and nearly 515,000 Emergency Department visits annually. For more information about TriStar Health, or for a physician referral, call TriStar MedLineSM at 615-342-1919 or toll-free outside of Nashville at 1-800-242-5662 or visit TriStarHealth.com.
