Procedure: Lung Scan
Purpose: To detect lung cancer and other abnormalities in the lungs
For Whom Appropriate:
- Smokers (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, marijuana)
- Non-smokers with any of the following risk factors:
- Exposure to secondhand smoke
- Exposure to cancer-causing agents such as asbestos, radon and Agent Orange
- History of tuberculosis or pneumonia
Significance:
- Lung cancer kills more American men and women than any other type of cancer.
- Lung cancer tumors are typically the size of an orange by the time they're discovered in a chest x-ray. CT scans can detect tumors as small as a grain of rice.
- The five-year survival rate for lung cancer is only 14%. However, it's estimated this could be increased to 80% through early detection and treatment.
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