Health Talks: Bringing mobile lung cancer screenings to the underserved

In this video, pulmonologist Michael Wert, MD, of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James), discusses a new mobile lung cancer screening unit that will be traveling throughout Ohio to offer important screenings to those who are most at risk of lung cancer and unlikely to have other access to screenings.

Lung cancer is the No. 1 cancer killer of men and women in the United States. Because symptoms can vary greatly and don’t always appear until the cancer has grown and spread significantly, lung cancer can be particularly difficult to treat. By screening individuals at high risk for lung cancer, detection and diagnosis can happen earlier when the cancer is most curable.

The goal of the mobile unit is to visit area businesses, local health departments, churches and other underserved locations around Ohio to provide screenings, and potentially catch lung cancer in its early stages for those at high risk.

To qualify for a screening on the mobile unit, a person must be:

• 50-80 years old
• Current smoker with a history of smoking 1 pack per day for 20 years
• Ex-smoker who has quit within the past 15 years

While screening guidelines change often, Dr. Wert says Ohio State is currently using the guidelines most insurance companies and Medicare will approve.

Watch this Health Talks video to learn more about the new mobile lung cancer screening unit and how to find out when the unit will be in your area.