Sangamon Sun

Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) is urging eligible adults to consider scheduling a lung cancer CT scan as part of their November plans, coinciding with Lung Cancer Awareness Month. This screening can help detect early signs of lung cancer, such as nodules or spots on the lungs.

Individuals aged 50 or older with a history of smoking—defined as at least one pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years—are particularly at risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

Despite this, the American College of Surgeons notes that only 6% of those eligible undergo lung cancer screenings, compared to much higher rates for colorectal and breast cancers, which are 70% and 80%, respectively.

Dr. Manjeshwar B. Prabhu, a pulmonologist at HSHS Medical Group Specialty Clinics, emphasizes that a low-dose lung cancer CT scan is quick and noninvasive. "In the same amount of time it takes to text your friends about dinner, you could get a lung cancer screening,” he said. “It’s quick, painless and noninvasive.”

Dr. Prabhu also highlights that while smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer, around 10% to 20% of cases occur in people who have never smoked or have smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. He warns that secondhand smoke exposure increases nonsmokers' risk by 20% to 30%. Other risks include radon exposure, workplace carcinogens, and outdoor air pollution.

If an abnormality is detected during screening, HSHS ministries in Illinois provide comprehensive care through their accredited Cancer program at HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.

Early detection significantly improves survival rates; patients whose lung cancer is caught before spreading are 63% more likely to live at least five additional years according to the American Lung Association.

Patients are encouraged to discuss their risks with their primary care provider and obtain a referral for a CT screening. Appointments can be scheduled by calling HSHS central scheduling at 217-757-6565.