British Columbia has launched the first lung cancer screening program across the country for residents at high risk of contracting the disease.
Health Minister Adrian Dix says the innovative program will save lives and improve its quality.
Detection will be available at 36 centers of all health authorities through existing CT scans for those between the ages of 55 and 74 who are currently smoking or have previously smoked and have a history of smoking for 20 years or more.
People who meet these criteria are encouraged to call the program for a consultation and risk assessment to determine eligibility.
Dr. Stephen Lam, medical director of the screening program, says lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Canada and around the world.
He says 70 percent of all cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage and the program aims to reverse this trend by detecting lung cancers earlier when treatment is most effective.
Dr. David Byers, director general of the Provincial Health Services Authority, credits BC Cancer with making the launch possible, adding a centralized system that will reduce the burden of cancer, “including indigenous people, who are affected by disproportionately due to lung cancer “.
BC Cancer says that after an appointment, a radiologist would look for spots or nodules on a scan and both the patient and their primary care provider would get results in three weeks.
He says detection works best when scans are done regularly to check for any changes.
The Ministry of Health says in a statement that about 10,000 patients are expected to be examined during the first year of the program, and that this number is expected to increase by 15% annually.
“It is estimated that the program will diagnose approximately 150 cases of lung cancer per year, with more than 75% of these diagnosed at an earlier stage than without screening.”