Lung CT Scan Leads To Early Cancer Detection

Many people would choose to have more special moments in life. Joan Orosz of Cedar Lake, Indiana, is one.

Orosz, 81, has had yearly lung CT scans at Franciscan Health Crown Point since 2021. She continued having scans past the age of 77 when Medicare stops covering the cost of lung cancer screening.

“I was a smoker when I was younger,” Orosz said. “I just figured that for health’s sake, I’d do this for myself.”

In January, she went for her annual lung CT scan. This time, doctors found a 1.2 cm nodule in her lung. More testing determined she had stage 1 squamous cell lung cancer.

Today, she’s recovering from surgery to remove the tumor in her lung. Soon, she’ll meet with an oncologist about follow-up treatment plans.

She says she feels that the scan saved her life.

Lung Screening: Easy And Painless

Orosz took advantage of Franciscan Health’s lung and heart screening bundles. Patients who are eligible, based on age and health risk factors, pay the cost ($49 or $59) out of their pockets. 

Insurers cover lung CT scans for people with a history of smoking up to a certain age. For Medicare and Medicaid, that age is 77. However, patients don’t need a doctor’s order, insurance approval or lung cancer symptoms to have a lung scan at Franciscan Health.

The lung scan is a simple, non-invasive computer tomography (CT) screening. Orosz said it was easy and painless. She urges anyone who has risk factors to take advantage of the screenings.

“It takes a matter of minutes, and there’s nothing to go through. You stand there and get the lung scan. That’s it,” she said.

Thousands of others might agree. Franciscan Health has done more than 95,000 heart and lung scans.

Benefits Of Lung CT Scans Continue With Age

Orosz is a patient of Giovanni Infusino, MD, a pulmonologist in the Franciscan Physician Network in Crown Point. Jason Fitzgerald, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon, performed her surgery.

Besides her smoking history, Orosz has a rare genetic condition, Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency. It can cause lung and liver disease. That was another factor in her decision to have annual scans.

The challenge with lung cancer is that people usually don’t have symptoms until their cancer is advanced. Dr. Infusino said lung scans save lives by detecting some cancers early when they are more treatable.

“The average age when people are diagnosed with lung cancer is 70,” Dr. Infusino said. “But 14% of lung cancers are diagnosed in patients older than 80.

“I encourage my patients who have risk factors for lung cancer to continue screening in their late 70s and 80s. Detecting lung cancer in an early stage increases their chances of enjoying more time in life.”

Are you at risk for heart disease or lung cancer? Don’t let age or insurance prevent you from getting crucial preventive care.