TAMPA, Fla. — This month, a new report from the American Lung Association in Florida found the rate of lung cancer screening is too low, especially when compared to the national average.
Moffitt Cancer Center has a major project in the works to hopefully help reverse this issue in the state.
“The problem is lung cancer is very curable if caught early. And that’s the difficulty, getting people to find it early,” said Dr. Lary Robinson. Dr. Robinson is a Thoracic Surgeon at Moffitt Cancer Center.
Dr. Robinson said screening is so low because people aren't aware of the problem.
“They think they stopped smoking five years ago, so I am not at risk anymore. They just don’t understand it,” said Dr. Robinson.
Dr. Robinson said right now he's focusing on education for both doctors and the public.
“Lung cancer screening with CT scans is the only proven way to find cancer early when it is most curable,” said Dr. Robinson.
He went on to explain in the fall of 2024, they will roll out Moffitt Mobile Lung Screening. It’s a mobile unit with a version of the machine that gives CT scans but on a slightly smaller scale.
“So, they will have patients lie down and have the CT scan in a very short period of time,” said Dr. Robinson.
“Right now, as best as we know, there are zero in Florida. We will be the first [in the state]. There are a handful in the United States – Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts and New York,” said Matthew Schabath, the program leader of the Cancer Epidemiology Program at Moffitt.
Dr. Schabath said this unit will be a game changer.
“We already know lung cancer screening is effective, so now we are able to bring this modality. It is going to be able to save lives ultimately when we get this into our communities,” said Dr. Schabath.
The American Cancer Society said people who smoke or used to smoke are at higher risk for lung cancer. The guidelines recommend yearly screening for lung cancer for people ages 50 to 80, who smoke or quit smoking within the last 15 years and who have a 20-year or greater “pack-year” history. The recommended screening is a low-dose CT scan, which is what the new mobile unit will offer.
For more information on how much lung cancer screenings cost at Moffitt Cancer Center, click here.
