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Low Dose CT Cancer Screening

Are you a candidate for lung cancer screening?

What are low dose CT scans?

Low dose CT scans are tests used to detect lung cancer before symptoms appear. If you are at high risk, the screening may save your life. Clatsop County has higher rates of lung cancer than other counties in Oregon and across the U.S. Statistics show that many on the North Coast don’t find lung cancer until a late stage, when chances for survival are much lower. Note: Your provider might recommend other imaging as needed.

Should you get screened?

You are a candidate if you:

  • Are between 50-80 years old
  • Have a 20 pack-year smoking history (1 pack/day for 20 years, 2 packs/day for 10 years, etc.)
  • AND, currently smoke, or quit within the last 15 years

Benefits of getting screened

The main benefit of lung cancer screening is preventing death from the disease. Lung cancer screening finds 80% of lung cancer at an early stage when it is more curable. Without screening, 70% of lung cancers are found at a later stage when there is little chance for a cure.

Get a screening at CMH

If you are interested in getting a low dose CT lung cancer screening at CMH, talk to your doctor. They can write an order to have you screened at our facility in Astoria.

If you are 50-80 years old with private insurance, or 50-77 years old with Medicare, and meet the other high-risk criteria listed, the initial scan is likely covered.

What to expect during the screening

It is easy to prepare for a low dose CT scan. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have a respiratory infection, as that might affect the results. A low dose CT scan should not be completed if you are sick. You will be asked to remove any metal or clothing you are wearing over the chest area.

The scan itself is painless and quick, less than a minute. You will lie down on the table of the machine. It will slide in and out of the scanner while you lie as still as possible. You may be asked to hold your breath. The technologist who runs the scan will talk you through the whole process.

Get help quitting

Contact the CMH Tobacco Cessation coordinator at 503.325.4321 x 81102 to discuss options for quitting or make an individual appointment. You can also call the Lung HelpLine at 1.800.LUNG.USA or contact the Quit Line at 1.800.QUIT.NOW (Spanish: 1.855.DEJELO.YA).