Registration remains open for the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute’s free lung cancer screening event on Saturday, Nov. 11 for qualifying uninsured and underinsured participants.
Screenings will be scheduled from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the CCRI located in the Jackson Medical Mall. The event seeks to offer patients an easy and painless screening that can spot lung cancer before symptoms begin.
Early detection and screenings can lead to better treatment and more effective health outcomes for patients.
“We know screenings reduce mortality by approximately 20 percent, so there is no reason why underinsured and uninsured individuals should not be given the same opportunity to be screened as the insured,” said Jonathan Hontzas, director of clinical programs for the ACT Center and co-director of the Lung Cancer Early Detection Program for the Cancer Center and Research Institute.
Screenings are recommended for the following: individuals ages 50 to 77; cigarette smokers or former cigarette smokers who have quit within the past 15 years; and individuals with a smoking history of at least 20 pack years*. (Packs of cigarettes smoked per day x number of years smoked. For example, one pack a day for 20 years, or two packs a day for 10 years.)
Members of the thoracic oncology team will be onsite to discuss findings or questions regarding follow-up care.
Appointments for the screening event are required. Call 601-984-LUNG (5864) and choose option 1 to determine eligibility and to schedule an appointment.