This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, SGMC Health is celebrating two milestones in its efforts to improve access to early detection and advanced lung care: the launch of online self-scheduling for lung cancer screenings and the completion of its 100th robotic-assisted lung biopsy using the Ion robotic platform.
Observed each November, Lung Cancer Awareness Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness about lung cancer, screening, and the importance of early detection. SGMC Health is using the occasion to encourage individuals who may be at increased risk to learn whether lung cancer screening is appropriate for them.
Low-dose CT (LDCT) screening is an important tool for detecting lung cancer earlier. The quick, painless exam uses a small amount of radiation to create detailed images of the lungs and can identify tiny lung nodules and early signs of lung cancer before symptoms appear. The scan takes only a few minutes and requires no needles or injections.
According to screening criteria, individuals may qualify for LDCT lung cancer screening if they are between ages 50 and 77, currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years, and have a 20 pack-year smoking history. A primary care provider can help determine whether screening is appropriate based on a patient’s age and smoking history.
SGMC Health recently made screening more convenient by introducing online self-scheduling for lung cancer screenings, allowing patients to select an appointment time online. Following the screening, a radiologist reviews the images and shares the results with the patient’s primary care provider. If an area requires further evaluation, SGMC Health’s lung specialists can help guide the patient through the next steps.
For patients with lung nodules identified through screening or other imaging, SGMC Health’s Lung Nodule Clinic provides coordinated evaluation and follow-up care. CT imaging gives specialists detailed information about lung nodules and can be used to track them over time, while the clinic’s multidisciplinary team develops individualized plans for monitoring or additional testing when needed.
When a suspicious nodule requires a biopsy, SGMC Health offers robotic-assisted lung biopsy using its Ion robotic platform. The technology uses an ultrathin, highly maneuverable catheter that allows physicians to navigate the narrow and complex pathways of the lungs with precision and reach nodules that can be challenging to access through traditional biopsy methods.
The SGMC Health team has now performed its 100th Ion robotic-assisted lung biopsy, marking continued growth in the health system’s advanced lung diagnostic capabilities. The procedures are performed by pulmonologists Vivek Yadav, MD, and Apurva Panwala, MD, in collaboration with cardiothoracic surgeons Guilherme De Oliveira, MD, and Jim Foster, MD.
Together, expanded screening access, the Lung Nodule Clinic and SGMC Health’s growing robotic-assisted biopsy program strengthen the continuum of care available to patients with suspicious lung nodules, from detection and evaluation to diagnosis and next steps.
SGMC Health encourages individuals who may be at increased risk for lung cancer to talk with their healthcare provider about screening. Eligible patients can now conveniently choose an appointment time online for a low-dose CT lung cancer screening at sgmc.org/lung.