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Lung Screening Can Be Life Saving

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Screening for Lung Cancer: A Great Start in Greater Waterbury

In November of 2014, The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, with its partners Saint Mary’s Hospital and Waterbury Hospital, collaborated with members of the local medical community in offering no-cost lung cancer screenings. The results were significant: the screenings led not only to cancer diagnoses in some patients, but also to incidental, life-saving findings, including the discovery of aneurysms, pulmonary embolisms and other important findings. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Jo-anne Cosgriff, Alliance Medical, Diagnostic Radiology Associates, Franklin Medical Group, Naugatuck Valley Radiology, Saint Mary’s Hospital, Waterbury Hospital, and Waterbury Pulmonary Associates for embracing this national movement and donating their time to benefit local patients.

A New Approach

The next phase of this important screening program, beginning in early 2015, incorporates changes that ensure compliance with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The most significant change is that screening is now a covered service for those patients meeting specific criteria. A patient’s primary care physician, or other physician of their choosing, will now determine whether a patient meets the criteria and should be screened. After a shared decision-making visit, that PCP or physician may write an order for low-dose CT lung screening.

You Should Know

We are currently preparing an informational and instructional package for all local physicians detailing the lung cancer screening program. The packet will include samples of all relevant forms, and up-to-date information about screening criteria and protocols. Packets will be going out in July. Our patient navigator, Lisa Gilmore is available to answer questions. You can reach Lisa at 203.575.5501.

Findings of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) confirm that LDCT lung screening can save lives of people at high risk for developing lung cancer. The recommended screening program adheres to the criteria of the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Thoracic Society, the National Cancer Institute, and the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

SCREENING CRITERIA

Screening may be covered for patients who meet all of the following criteria:

  • are between the ages of 55 and 77
  • are currently a smoker or have quit smoking within the past 15 years
  • have smoked 30 or more pack years (This is the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day. For example, one pack per day for 30 years equals 30 pack years)
  • are asymptomatic (no signs or symptoms of lung cancer)

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY FACT

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States, and the most common cancer worldwide. In fact, lung cancer causes more deaths than the next three most common cancers combined: breast, colon, and prostate.

PROGRAM STATISTICS for initial phase of program:

  • Total # Screened: 354
  • Total # LDCTs performed: 104
  • Lung Rads 4: 5
  • Lung Rads 3: 15
  • Lung Rads 2: 12
  • Lung Rads 1: 72

FREEDOM FROM SMOKING

An 8-week smoking cessation series is held four times per year. Please call Sandy Micalizzi at 203.575.5573 for information on the start of the next series.