Lung cancer kills more people than breast, cervix, colon, and prostate cancers combined. More than 85% of lung cancer patients are diagnosed in the late stages, because lung cancer does not have early warning signs or symptoms. According to the American Lung Association, when lung cancer is diagnosed at a later stage and has spread to other organs, the five year survival rate is 4%. Using a lung screen to detect lung cancer in its early stages has shown to increase survival rates in lung cancer patients by 20%. The CT scan can detect small nodules on your lungs before they have grown and spread to other parts of the body. These small nodules can then be surgically removed or treated which vastly increases the 5 year survival rate.
The lung screening CT scan uses a lower dose of radiation than the standard CT scan. This level of exposure is similar to a mammogram, which is the standard screening method for breast cancer detection.