Why Former Smokers Need Yearly Lung Scans

You quit smoking. That was a powerful step for your health. But even years after your last cigarette or cigar, your lungs may still carry risks we can’t see — until it’s too late.

That’s why yearly lung scans are important. These quick, affordable tests can detect lung cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage, often before you feel any symptoms.

Key Takeaways: Lung Scans For Former Smokers

• Even if you stopped smoking more than 15 years ago, you should discuss the need for yearly lung cancer screening with your doctor.
• Doctors use a calculation called “pack years” to help determine your eligibility for lung cancer screening.
• A yearly low-dose CT scan can catch lung cancer in its earliest stages, when cancer is easiest to treat.

Early Lung Cancer Detection Changes Everything

“Lung cancer can develop even years after someone stops smoking,” said Brian Dickover, MD, a pulmonary medicine physician with Franciscan Physician Network in Michigan City. “That’s why yearly screenings are so important. The smaller the cancer, the easier it is to treat and the better chance someone has of a longer survival.”

Most lung cancers don’t cause symptoms until the disease has advanced. That’s why early-stage detection through a yearly low-dose CT scan can be lifesaving. At an early stage, we can treat some lung cancer with a simple surgery, before you need more invasive treatments like chemotherapy or radiation.

Yearly scans give your care team a clear view of changes over time. If we catch even the smallest signs of concern, we can act early, when it matters most.

Do I Still Need Lung Cancer Screening If I Quit Smoking?

Yes. Even long after you’ve quit, your lungs are still at risk.

“If you smoked one pack a day for 20 years, are at least 50 years old, and are a current or former smoker with no symptoms of lung cancer, you’re eligible,” said Sandra Ogungbemi, MD, an interventional pulmonologist at Franciscan Health Interventional Pulmonology Clinic in Indianapolis.

Even if you quit more than 15 years ago, it’s worth it to discuss lung cancer screening with your provider.

“After 15 years, your risk drops significantly — up to 90 percent risk reduction,” Dr. Ogungbemi said. “That’s why it’s so important to quit.”

What’s A Low-Dose CT Lung Scan?

A low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan takes detailed images of your lungs using minimal radiation. It’s a fast, painless, noninvasive way to check for signs of lung cancer.

And it’s more affordable than you may think. Many Franciscan Health locations offer low-dose CT scans for just $49.

Pack Years: What They Are And Why They Matter

Doctors use a calculation called “pack years” to help determine your screening needs. Multiply the number of packs you smoked per day by the number of years you smoked. One pack a day for 20 years? That’s 20 pack years. Two packs a day for 10 years? Also, 20 pack years.

If your total hits 20 or more, lung cancer screening could save your life.

Why Aren’t More People Getting Lung Cancer Screening?

Despite the lifesaving potential of lung cancer screening, far too few people take advantage of it.

“Sixteen million people are eligible for lung cancer screening in the U.S., and we’re only screening 16 percent,” said Dr. Ogungbemi. “That’s the national average — and it’s also where Indiana stands. We have a long way to go.”

Common reasons people hesitate to schedule their yearly lung scan include:

• Awareness– Many former smokers don’t know they’re still at risk.
• Cost– Many locations offer scans for just $49.
• Fear– The scan is quick and painless; your results can give peace of mind.
• Radiation– Low-dose CT scans use very little radiation, less than what we get from natural background exposure.

Former Smokers And Cigar Users: What You Should Know

Dr. Ogungbemi debunked a few common myths: “Some people say, ‘I don’t inhale cigars.’ But even if you don’t deeply inhale, the tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide can still cause cancer, including head and neck cancers. And one large cigar is about the same as smoking a pack of cigarettes.”

Lung Cancer Screening: Don’t Wait To Take Action

“Something can show up in just one year,” Dr. Dickover said. “That’s why it’s so important to return annually. The earlier we detect something, the better your outcome.”

“What I would say to someone who has hesitancy to get screened is that the risk they subjected themselves to in smoking is greater than the risk of the scan,” he added. “The cost of cigarettes when they were smoking is greater than any cost they may have to afford for the scan. And it’s better to treat someone early for lung cancer than wait — treatment is more difficult later, and the risk of complications and suffering increases.”

Dr. Dickover has seen screening make a major difference.

“We’ve had patients with very small lung cancers found so early that they got treatment with surgery — and didn’t need any additional treatment,” he said.

You took a powerful step when you quit smoking. Now take the next step, schedule your yearly lung scan and stay on top of your health.