San Juan Regional Medical Center offers screenings for lung cancer via a low-dose CT scan. The scan normally takes between 5 and 10 minutes total.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends anyone age 50 to 80 who is at high risk for lung cancer because of smoking history should be screened yearly using a low-dose computed CT scan.

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, accounting for about 90% of all lung cancer cases. The median age of diagnosis of lung cancer is 70 years.

People 50 to 80 years old who are a current or former smoker should talk to their doctor about lung cancer risk and need for screening. Most lung cancers do not cause any symptoms until they have spread. Early-stage lung cancer has a better prognosis and is more amenable to treatment.