Screenings to be offered free-of-charge November 7-18
PLYMOUTH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Jordan Hospital announces the launch of the first lung cancer screening program by a community hospital and the second program of its kind in Massachusetts. From November 7-18, Jordan Hospital will offer, free of charge, seven daily, low-dose, non-contrast chest CT scans to asymptomatic men and women 55 to 74 years of age with a 30 pack-year history of smoking or former smokers who quit less than 15 years ago and have no history of any cancer—except for non-melanoma skin cancer.
“When detected at an early stage, lung cancer is no longer an automatic death sentence,” says Marvin J. Lopez, MD, FACS, FRCSC, executive director of the Jordan Hospital Club Cancer Center. “The launch of this program and the free screenings are part of the hospital’s ongoing commitment to educate the communities we serve about important health-related issues.”
In July 2011, the New England Journal of Medicine published results from the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial (NLST) conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN). The study demonstrated that there were 20% fewer deaths reported in the study group that underwent CT scanning of the chest versus the control group that had a single view chest x-ray.
“The National Lung Cancer Screening Trial highlights early detection as the key to dealing with a diagnosis of lung cancer,” says Francis Podbielski, MD, director of the lung cancer program at Jordan Hospital. “Lung cancer remains a scourge, and an accurate screening mechanism still doesn’t exist, but our goal in launching this program is to provide patients with the same or better care as they would find in academic medical centers.”
Patients diagnosed with lung cancer will be evaluated and treated by a multidisciplinary team under the auspices of the Jordan Hospital Cancer Committee and Cancer Center. All current smokers will be counseled and directed to Jordan Hospital’s “Quitters” smoking cessation program.
Patients who fulfill the lung cancer screening criteria can schedule a screening appointment at 1-855-FOR-LUNG.
Jordan Hospital
Jordan Hospital is a not-for-profit organization serving 12-towns in Plymouth and Barnstable Counties. Established in 1901, Jordan Hospital is a full service, 155-bed, acute care community hospital accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO); the Commission of Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists; the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, and the American College of Radiology. For more information, visit www.jordanhospital.org/.
CONTACT:
Jordan Hospital
Beth Richter, 617-275-3286
KEYWORDS: United States North America Massachusetts
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Hospitals Oncology
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