Screening Saves Lives

We know that lung cancer doesn't fight fair. We also know early detection saves lives. When lung cancer is diagnosed in Stage I, there's a 90% chance or greater of a cure. Lung cancer screening is fast, easy, and safe. All it takes is a three-minute scan to check for spots that could be suspicious for lung cancer.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT scan for adults who meet the following criteria:

• Between the ages of 50 and 80 (50-77 for those who receive Medicare)
• Have a 20-pack-year smoking history (for example, smoking one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years or two packs per day for 10 years)
• Currently smoke or have quit in the last 15 years

If you don’t meet the basic criteria and want to be screened, talk with your healthcare provider. They can work with you to see what exams you need and what may be covered by insurance.

Find out if you are eligible for lung screening

The decision to get a screening changed Bob Lindgren's life. It granted him the chance to cherish more moments with his grandkids, savor more birthdays, attend more family events, and experience countless other special occasions in his everyday life.

Meet lung cancer survivor Bob Lindgren

In 2023, End Lung Cancer Now formed a multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Screening Taskforce to develop the blueprint to transform, scale, and centralize lung cancer screening programs (LCSPs). The taskforce met over a six-month period to study and analyze the current state of the LSCP at IU Health to identify high-impact improvements that should be implemented, both short-term and long-term. The result is a comprehensive of recommendations outlining  what an ideal and comprehensive LCSP should include.

Since adopting nearly all 11 recommendations, IU Health has seen major gains: a 70% year-over-year increase in screening uptake in the first year, an additional 50% increase projected for 2025, and the system’s screening rate rising from 20.7% to 30%.

Any health system looking to elevate its lung screening efforts can use this blueprint as a practical, ready-to-implement guide.

Download the Blueprint