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Lung Cancer Screening

Wellstar offers low-dose CT scans to help detect lung cancer earlier, before clinical signs or symptoms become evident. Early-stage cancers can be more easily treated and more frequently cured than later-stage cancers.

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Lung Cancer Screening Saves Lives

Wellstar’s lung cancer screening program is a national leader in early detection. Our low-dose CT scans help detect early-stage lung cancer before clinical signs or symptoms become evident. Early-stage cancers can be more easily treated and more frequently cured than later-stage cancers.

Our lung cancer screening program is one of the nation's largest and highest quality lung screening programs, allowing us to detect cancer earlier and customize the best treatment plan for each patient. We are proud to be designated as a Screening Center of Excellence and Care Continuum Center of Excellence by the GO2 Foundation as well as a designated Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology (ACR). These accolades highlight our commitment to providing accurate and safe diagnostic care for our patients.

Low-dose CT lung cancer screening

Research shows that screening using a low-dose CT scan with low levels of radiation exposure can help detect lung cancer earlier, before clinical signs or symptoms become evident. Most people with early-stage lung cancer do not have any symptoms, but early-stage cancers can be more easily treated and more frequently cured than later-stage cancers. This is why screening is so important.

Screening for lung cancer is not a one-time test, but a process that involves a periodic evaluation of your lungs over time to look for newly emerging cancer. The capability of CT scanners to detect tiny lung nodules and to compare the nodules for changes in size over time is critical to the screening process. People who are at high risk for lung cancer have access to these low-dose CT scans and it is recommended they have them once a year. Depending on the findings, some patients may have more or less exams.

Click on the tabs to the left to learn more about the benefits and risks of lung cancer screening, whether insurance covers it, how to get help to quit smoking and more.

More Information

Call to learn more about eligibility, financial assistance or to schedule a lung screening.

(470) 793-4AIR

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Wellstar and Mayo Clinic are working together to improve the delivery of healthcare. Through our collaboration, Wellstar combines the wisdom of Mayo with the expertise of Wellstar to offer the best care and treatment plans for even the most complicated diagnoses.

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  • Should I Be Screened?
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Risks & Benefits
  • Interpreting Your Results
  • Support to Quit Smoking

Should I Be Screened for Lung Cancer?

Screening is recommended for people who are most likely to develop lung cancer. There are pros and cons to screening, so speak with your doctor about starting a screening program.

Although the United States Preventative Services Task Force has recommended changes to the current screening eligibility, most insurance companies are not yet covering these services. If you think you qualify under the new guidelines, contact your insurance company for coverage details.

The following groups are currently considered eligible for screening by most health plans:

  1. A person who is age 50-80 with a 20 pack-year* smoking history who is either a current smoker or has quit within the past 15 years.
  2. A person who is age 50 and over with a 20 pack-year* smoking history and one of the following risk factors:
    • Close blood relative with lung cancer
    • History of pulmonary fibrosis or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD)
    • History of cancer (excluding non-melanoma of the skin)
    • Exposure to cancer causing agents such as, but not limited to:
      • Radon
      • Arsenic
      • Beryllium
      • Cadmium
      • Chromium
      • Nickel
      • Asbestos
      • Coal smoke
      • Soot
      • Silica
      • Diesel fumes
      • Agent Orange

*A pack-year is the number of packs smoked per day multiplied by the number of years smoked. For example: 1.5 packs a day x 20 years = 30 pack-years.

If you do not fall within these recommendations for screening, you may still be at high risk for developing lung cancer. You should discuss your risk factors with your healthcare provider to decide whether screening would be reasonable for you.

Nonsmokers & lung cancer

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer; however, it is not the only cause. Statistics show one in five women and one in ten men diagnosed with lung cancer never smoked. The longer someone has stopped smoking, the lower the risk of lung cancer. However, smoking does permanent damage to the lungs, so the increased risk of lung cancer does not totally resolve. In addition, exposure to other people who are smoking (second-hand exposure) is also a risk factor.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screenings stop once a person has not smoked for 15 years or develops a health problem that limits life expectancy or the ability to have curative lung surgery. (You must be in general good health and willing to undergo a tissue biopsy and treatment if lung cancer is suspected.)

How to prepare for lung cancer screening

There is no special preparation for this exam. You may eat and drink prior to your test. The test is quick, painless and does not involve any intravenous injections.

How to schedule a lung screening

An order from your physician is required for a lung cancer screening. Please contact your primary care physician or a pulmonologist (lung specialist) to make an appointment and discuss the risks and benefits of screening.

Once an order has been obtained from your physician, please call (470) 793-4AIR (4247) to schedule your screening.

Insurance Coverage for Lung Cancer Screening

For screening to be covered by insurance, you must not have any symptoms (such as a changing cough, new shortness of breath, chest pain, fever or unexplained weight loss) and you must be age 50-77 with a 20 pack-year smoking history and either currently smoke or quit less than 15 years ago. If you have Medicare, a Shared Decision-Making visit with your healthcare provider is required. Medicare also requires that during this visit, your clinician discusses with you:

  • The benefits and harms of screening
  • The importance of adherence to annual screening
  • Your current health and willingness or ability to undergo a tissue biopsy and treatment if cancer is suspected
  • The importance of not smoking

  • Although the United States Preventative Services Task Force has recommended changes to the current screening eligibility, most insurance companies are not yet covering these services. If you think you qualify under the new guidelines, contact your insurance company for coverage details.

     

    Exams not covered by insurance are available through Wellstar’s self-pay program for $225.

    How to schedule a lung screening

    An order from your physician is required for a lung cancer screening. Please contact your primary care physician or a pulmonologist (lung specialist) to make an appointment and discuss the risks and benefits of screening.

    Once an order has been obtained from your physician, please call (470) 793-4AIR (4247) to schedule your screening.

Weighing Risks & Benefits

Like most medical procedures, the benefit from screening must be balanced with its risks and limitations.

Benefits

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related deaths in America. With more than 155,000 lives lost per year, lung cancer kills more people than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined.

Considering the lifetime probability of developing lung cancer is 1 in 14 people, and the 5-year late-stage survival rate is 1-5%, the risks of screening people through an organized program are generally considered to be minimal compared to the benefits of early detection.

Risks & limitations

False alarms: Sometimes further testing may be required, which ultimately turns out not to be cancer. This is called a “false positive.”

Complications of further testing: Occasionally, more invasive procedures, such as, bronchoscopy or biopsy, may be necessary. These procedures have risks and can lead to complications, like a collapsed lung or, rarely, even death.

Radiation: This test uses a low-dose of radiation and will expose you to less than 1.5 millisieverts (mSv). This is much less radiation than a conventional chest CT scan. To put this in perspective, the average person in the U.S. is exposed to approximately 3mSv of natural background radiation every year.

Stress/anxiety: It is normal to feel anxious while waiting for your results. Most patients with findings on their scan that require additional testing are reassured when they learn that most of these turn out to be benign and of no concern. If you experience stress or anxiety over your results, talk with your doctor or the lung screening care coordinator, who can help.

Over-diagnosis: Sometimes screening tests find cancers that are very slow growing and would have never caused problems. When this cancer is found, it is called over-diagnosis. There is a small chance someone may be treated for a cancer of this type, which, had it been left alone, would not have harmed them.

No guarantee early detection will avoid death: This screening cannot detect all lung cancers and cannot guarantee early detection will avoid death from lung cancer. Lung cancer found early increases your chance of cure through early treatment, however, some cancers can recur, even when found early, and spread to other parts of the body (referred to as metastasis). Research continues to show early detection is the best hope for cure.

How to schedule a lung screening

An order from your physician is required for a lung cancer screening. Please contact your primary care physician or a pulmonologist (lung specialist) to make an appointment and discuss the risks and benefits of screening.

Once an order has been obtained from your physician, please call (470) 793-4AIR (4247) to schedule your screening.

How Results are Interpreted & Shared

All lung screenings are initially interpreted by a radiologist (a person with expertise in reading medical images) and findings are then reviewed by a team of physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. Results are promptly communicated to you and your physician. When lung cancer is suspected, arrangements are made for a prompt evaluation.

Results turnaround

Once the physicians complete their review of your images, your results are posted within 3-5 days in your Wellstar MyChart account. Results are mailed to you and your physician within one week.

If a lung cancer is suspected, you will be notified by telephone and immediate arrangements will be made for a physician specializing in lung cancer treatment to meet with you. Your Wellstar physician can help you get access to your MyChart account.

What a lung nodule indicates

Patients whose screening shows a lung nodule may feel concerned. However, you should not be overly concerned if your report indicates you have small lung nodules. Most people who meet eligibility for screening will have some. Nodules are very common—at least 50% of people have them by the time they are 50 years old.

Although a large majority of these nodules are benign (not cancer), they will need to be followed over time and monitored for changes or growth.

How to schedule a lung screening

An order from your physician is required for a lung cancer screening. Please contact your primary care physician or a pulmonologist (lung specialist) to make an appointment and discuss the risks and benefits of screening.

Once an order has been obtained from your physician, please call (470) 793-4AIR (4247) to schedule your screening.

Support to Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do to improve your health. In addition to damaging the lungs, tobacco smoke also injures many other parts of the body such as blood vessels and the heart. As a smoker, your risk of death from heart attack or emphysema continues to increase even if your CT scan does not show lung cancer. Quitting smoking is tough and there is no way to quit effortlessly. The best approach is one that addresses the physical, social and behavioral aspects of smoking.

Online and phone support is available at becomeanex.org—a free, easy and confidential online quit smoking program that helps smokers “re-learn” life without cigarettes. Call 1 (877) 270-STOP (7867) or visit their website. The Georgia Tobacco Quit Line at smokefree.gov also offers support.

Illustration of a lung x-ray.

Fighting Lung Cancer with Wellstar’s Multidisciplinary Experts

Wellstar is dedicated to early intervention in lung cancer, which improves outcomes for patients. From catching cancer to following through with expert care, Wellstar ensures patients never have to fight lung cancer alone.

Learn more
Illustration of Ion system

Lung Biopsy Technology at Wellstar Reduces Complications, Speeds Up Treatment

Innovative technology at Wellstar is offering patients a new, minimally invasive option for lung biopsies.

Learn more
Image of someone looking at lungs

Lung Cancer Screenings Available Sat., November 12

 If you are at increased risk of developing lung cancer, you could benefit from regular low-dose CT scans to monitor your lung health. Wellstar will offer screenings at several imaging locations on Saturday, Nov. 12.

Learn more

Office Locations

Currently showing 10 total listed locations
South Atlanta Pulmonary Critical Care Associates
483 Upper Riverdale Road SW
Suite A
Riverdale, GA 30274
Phone: (770) 991-3888
mi away - None
1544
South Atlanta Pulmonary Critical Care Associates
33.57286
-84.4061
Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine
4550 Cobb Parkway North NW
Suite 210
Acworth, GA 30101
Closed • Opens at 8:00 AM
Phone: (770) 422-1372
mi away
2344
Pulmonary Medicine
34.06791
-84.72319
Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine
148 Bill Carruth Parkway
Suite 100
Hiram, GA 30141
Closed • Opens at 7:30 AM
Phone: (770) 422-1372
mi away
2416
Pulmonary Medicine
33.90079
-84.78111
Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine
400 Tower Road NE
Suite 200
Marietta, GA 30060
Closed • Opens at 7:30 AM
Phone: (770) 422-1372
mi away
3476
Pulmonary Medicine
33.97073
-84.55621
Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine
120 Stonebridge Parkway
Suite 320
Woodstock, GA 30189
Closed • Opens at 8:00 AM
Phone: (770) 422-1372
mi away
2446
Pulmonary Medicine
34.10009
-84.53725
Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine
3747 Roswell Road
Suite 215
Marietta, GA 30062
Closed • Opens at 7:30 AM
Phone: (770) 422-1372
mi away
2116
Pulmonary Medicine
33.98032
-84.44474
Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine
1551 Doctors Drive
LaGrange, GA 30240
Closed • Opens at 8:00 AM
Phone: (706) 880-7222
mi away
2304
Pulmonary Medicine
33.03027
-85.05935
Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine
4500 Hospital Boulevard
Suite 310
Roswell, GA 30076
Closed • Opens at 8:00 AM
Phone: (770) 410-4366
mi away
2698
Pulmonary Medicine
34.06314
-84.32256
Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine
4441 Atlanta Road SE
Suite 217
Smyrna, GA 30080
Closed • Opens Wednesday at 7:30 AM
Phone: (470) 956-4150
mi away
2224
Pulmonary Medicine
33.84665
-84.48984
Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine
1664 Mulkey Road
Austell, GA 30106
Closed • Opens at 8:00 AM
Phone: (770) 422-1372
mi away
2118
Pulmonary Medicine
33.85874
-84.60297

For more accurate listings be sure to enable location services.

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South Atlanta Pulmonary Critical Care Associates

483 Upper Riverdale Road SW
Suite A
Riverdale, GA 30274
mi away
Phone: (770) 991-3888

Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine

4550 Cobb Parkway North NW
Suite 210
Acworth, GA 30101
mi away
Phone: (770) 422-1372

Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine

148 Bill Carruth Parkway
Suite 100
Hiram, GA 30141
mi away
Phone: (770) 422-1372

Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine

400 Tower Road NE
Suite 200
Marietta, GA 30060
mi away
Phone: (770) 422-1372

Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine

120 Stonebridge Parkway
Suite 320
Woodstock, GA 30189
mi away
Phone: (770) 422-1372

Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine

3747 Roswell Road
Suite 215
Marietta, GA 30062
mi away
Phone: (770) 422-1372

Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine

1551 Doctors Drive
LaGrange, GA 30240
mi away
Phone: (706) 880-7222

Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine

4500 Hospital Boulevard
Suite 310
Roswell, GA 30076
mi away
Phone: (770) 410-4366

Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine

4441 Atlanta Road SE
Suite 217
Smyrna, GA 30080
mi away
Phone: (470) 956-4150

Wellstar Pulmonary Medicine

1664 Mulkey Road
Austell, GA 30106
mi away
Phone: (770) 422-1372
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