According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer is the second most common form of non-skin cancer in America and many Americans die from it every year. However, Black people are 15 percent less likely to get an early diagnosis than other ethnicities and 11 percent more likely to receive no treatment at all after being diagnosed. As a result, statistics show that Black Americans are 16 percent less likely than non-Black people to survive five years after being diagnosed with lung cancer. These numbers strongly suggest that you need to take your health into your own hands.
Who Needs To Be Screened For Lung Cancer
Generally, doctors recommend that anyone who is at a high risk of developing lung cancer get screened regularly. This list includes people who have a history of smoking at least one pack of cigarettes per day, those who quit smoking within the past 15 years, and anyone between the ages of 50 and 80 years old.
However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore lung cancer screening if you don’t meet those criteria. You should also consider being screened if there is a history of lung cancer in your family, you’ve been treated for the condition in the past, you work with asbestos or other cancerous materials, or you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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What Happens During The Screening
If you have a cold or any respiratory illness, you shouldn’t do a lung cancer screening as the results will be inaccurate. Once you’re clear, you’ll be asked to remove any metallic jewelry before lying on a thin table.
While the technician is in another room, the table will move through a doughnut-shaped machine to determine the start of the scan.
An X-ray tube in the machine will emit small beams at specific angles which will be picked up on the other side of the scanner. The results of these beams are used to create images of your lungs.
During the scan, you’ll be asked to lie still and hold your breath briefly. This part usually takes less than a minute but the whole procedure can last for half an hour. The results of the scan will be sent to your doctor.
What To Expect After A Positive Result
If the scan reveals spots on your lungs, this is considered to be a positive result. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have lung cancer.
Small spots can indicate that you have a respiratory condition, scarring from an infection, or noncancerous growths. In this case, your