Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of breast, prostate and colon cancers combined because most patients are diagnosed after the cancer has already become advanced. The Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Program at the Keck Medical Center of USC is fighting to change that, which is why it is offering low-dose CT (LDCT) scans of the chest for lung cancer screening at a reduced cost of $99.

The recent National Lung Screening Trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute has shown that screening high-risk individuals using LDCT scanning can reduce lung cancer-related mortality. The trial involved more than 53,000 individuals between the ages of 55 and 74 years old, who were current or former smokers. The study established that LDCT screenings detected significantly more patients with lung cancer than standard chest X-ray and that LDCT screenings were associated with a 20 percent reduction in lung cancer-related mortality.

Candidates for the LDCT screening include men and women between the ages of 55 and 74 who have smoked an equivalent of one pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years, current and former smokers who have quit within 15 years, and others who have significant lung disease, exposure to certain toxins or radiation, or a family history of lung cancer.

To ensure the most adequate follow-up care to patients, specialists in chest radiology, thoracic surgery, pulmonary medicine and oncology review each patient’s history, risk factors and LDCT findings, then provide the patient and his/her primary physician with their recommendations. An experienced lung cancer nurse navigator helps patients from the initial phone call to the first appointment and through their follow-up visits to maintain continuity of care at USC.

To schedule an LDCT scanning, call (323) 680-3534 or email lungcancer@med.usc.edu.