Our Pink & Pearl Campaign hopes to bring awareness to both breast cancer (pink ribbon) and lung cancer (pearl ribbon) by educating patients to get their recommended cancer screenings.
Did you know – lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in adult men and women.
Only 15% of lung cancers are found at a localized stage, meaning low survival rates. In launching the Pink & Pearl Campaign, we hope to educate women already getting their annual screening mammogram about the risk of undetected lung cancer. We are striving to help these women get screened for lung cancer if they qualify for the Low Dose CT screening.
What are the facts about lung cancer?
- Tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer. Around 90% of lung cancers are related to smoking.
- Risk for lung cancer from smoking are related to the length of time and amount of smoking. Those who have smoked the equivalent of 20 pack years, or more are at the greatest risk but even a history of 10 pack years of smoking means a higher risk of lung cancer.
- Other risk factors include secondhand smoke exposure, exposure to asbestos and exposure to radon gas. Family history may play a role in some.
- Signs and symptoms from lung cancer are nonspecific, overlapping with many non-cancerous conditions and include: cough, shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing up blood.
What can we do to beat this killer?
- Smoking cessation is key! If you smoke, your doctor has resources that can help you or your loved one quit.
- Finding lung cancer earlier means improved survival.
- Screening with low dose CT can lower the risk of dying from lung cancer with the largest study showing a decrease in the risk of death by at least 20%.
If you qualify for a Low Dose Chest CT – you will need a doctors order for the exam. Please reach out to your primary care provider for an order and schedule with us today.