CT lung cancer screening

@joelars That is an interesting question and I have NO answer for you. I am a former smoker. Smoked two packs of cigarets from age 18 to age 45. No doctor I saw until recently had me have any special CT screening since I quit smoking. Had my new doctor not ordered a bunch fo tests, my small lung cancer would not have been discovered. It was and was a stage one cancer--no involvement the lymph nodes, or surrounding tissue. Thank havens. Anyway, I surprised none of my doctors had asked for tests along the way. You make an interesting point and bring up a good question. I'll be looking forward to answers from others on this site about CT cancer screening after quitting cigarettes. Thank you.

@joelars- Good morning. What an excellent question. My first lung cancer was in 1997. I have been having CT scans since then. I started out with the high doses and then it went to the low ones when they became available. I have been told that since I am such a high risk for more cancers (I've had 4 so far) I will be followed until there is no need. I do think that it depends on how much of a risk you are. I remember that you didn't have cancer but that there was an anomaly in your scan. Has that been resolved? Are you asking for a specific reason? How are you doing? Have you done any of the breathing exercises yet?

I think anyone who was a former smoker should have one ct scan. Mayo found my lung cancer on a general x ray. And said I probably had it for 6 or so years. So now I have 2 surgeries and 2 rounds of radiation. And ct scans are either every 3 or 6 months now. . When I was diagnosed I had. No symptoms. I was a smoker that quit in 1998

sakota9. Thank you for your reply to this. I wonder why such things aren't done (CT scans) as a natural parr of former smokers as well as maybe done for those over 55 years of age. You as so correct--if you'd had a simple CT scan, so much could have been avoided.

thank you for asking. My "peripheral infiltrate" was interpreted by my doctor as a viral infection-the result of my pneumonia. My pneumonia has resolved ( I had blood and urine tests last week) He said it could take a few months for the infiltrate to resolve completely after pneumonia. My repeat x-ray is scheduled for mid may. Fortunately I feel fully recovered , as my lab work indicates. I called my medical provider to find out if they covered low dose ct scans for cancer screening-they don't unless my doctor deems it a medical necessity. I turn 65 in January. I wonder if Medicare or Medicare advantage plans pay for them, does anyone know? If not I will pay out of pocket. Can you tell me the frequency of your CT scans?

@alamogal635- I hear you. There are no set rules or recommendations that I could find for CT scans for former smokers and past and present. Since this begs for common sense within the medical community I think that all we can do as patients is insist on them.

I think you are right--we as patients need to insist on such tests.