Screening for lung cancer
Screening means checking for a disease in a group of people who donʼt show any symptoms of the disease. Screening tests help find lung cancer before any symptoms develop. When lung cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better.
People who currently smoke tobacco or used to smoke tobacco have the highest risk of developing lung cancer. Research shows that screening with a CT scan using lower doses of radiation (called a low-dose CT scan) can find lung cancer in these people before they have any symptoms. This might help lower their risk of dying from lung cancer.
If you currently smoke tobacco or used to smoke tobacco and you’re 55 to 74 years of age, you should get screened for lung cancer using a low-dose CT (computed tomography) scan.
Some provinces have organized lung cancer screening programs that provide guidance on how often you should get screened. Screening may not benefit you if you have serious health conditions and are too frail for lung cancer treatment. Talk to your healthcare team about screening for lung cancer.
If you aren’t at high risk for lung cancer, you shouldn’t be screened for the disease. There isn’t enough evidence to know if screening is effective for people who don’t have a high risk because of their smoking history or other risk factors for lung cancer.
Find out more about getting screened for lung cancer.
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