If you’ve smoked, vaped or been exposed to toxic or hazardous materials, then you may be at a higher risk for lung cancer. One of the things that makes lung cancer particularly difficult to treat is that symptoms are typically hidden until the cancer has already spread. In fact, nearly half of the cases aren’t discovered until they reach stage 3 or 4. However, there are lung cancer screenings available that help detect cancer even when symptoms aren’t present. 

These tests can be lifesavers. And it’s important to give your lungs the attention they deserve if you think you might be at risk. 

Typically, lung cancer screenings are recommended for individuals who are from ages 50-77 and meet at least one of the following criteria: 

A smoking pack-year refers to the number of years you smoked multiplied by the number of packs of cigarettes you smoked per day. For example, someone who smoked two packs a day for 15 years would have 30 pack-years of smoking. The same could be said for someone who smoked one pack a day for 30 years. 

Lung cancer remains the world’s leading cause of cancer-related death, higher than that of breast, prostate and colon cancer combined. It is one of the most serious cancers, but when it’s found early, it’s often much easier to treat and survival rates improve dramatically. Hancock Health has partnered with Eon, a clinical AI platform, to ensure hidden health risks, like early signs of lung cancer, are caught sooner, and patients receive the timely care they deserve. 

Eon’s technology uses advanced data tools when reviewing radiology reports from lung cancer screenings to identify unexpected findings and guide patients to the appropriate next step in their care. Eon’s platform supports Hancock Health’s care teams with outreach and necessary follow-up throughout every patient’s journey. The end result is earlier detection, timely diagnosis, faster time to treatment, and more time for clinical teams to focus on care, improved outcomes, and saving lives. 

Patients with lung nodules found through early intervention with tools like Eon also benefit from Intuitive’s Ion Robotic Bronchoscopy Technology. It features a minimally invasive, robotic-assisted system designed for obtaining lung tissue samples for biopsy in a safe and simple way, even when lung nodules are small and located in difficult-to-reach locations. Ion’s ultrathin, ultra maneuverablecatheter allows clinicians to perform minimally invasive peripheral lung biopsies and reach small lesions in all 18 segments of the lung with more reach, precision, and stability. 

An Eon scan takes about 10 minutes, is non-invasive, and uses about 1/5 of the radiation of a standard chest CT scan. It is covered by most insurance companies, but checking with your personal provider is a good idea before scheduling your scan.  

If you meet the criteria above, speak to your provider about ordering a preventative screening for early lung cancer detection. You can also visit Gateway Hancock Health to learn more about our affordable diagnostic imaging services—prices up to 50% lower than what you’d pay for a similar-quality test at a hospital. It’s just another way we’re making health possible for you.