Lahey Clinic Offering Free Lung Cancer Screening for Veterans

The following is a release from Burlington's Director of Veteran Affairs Robert Hogan:

The Burlington Office of Veterans Services wants to inform Burlington veterans that the Lahey Clinic is offering Free Lung Cancer CT Screenings to eligible, qualified veterans. 

Why? Because the incidence of lung cancer is higher among veterans, and the survival rate among veterans is lower than the civilian population.

Studies indicate that mortality rate is higher for veterans. Two million World War-2 and Korean War veterans died an average 11.1 years sooner than their civilian counterparts. When you add in Agent Orange for Vietnam veterans and the uranium related issues for Gulf War veterans, it is clear that early screening and detection is necessary in order to catch the disease early, and treat it successfully.

According to Lahey Clinic, studies clearly show that for veterans who are high risk for lung cancer, early detection with low-dose CT lung screening can save lives.

If you are a veteran, between the ages of 50 and 75, and a smoker or have quit in the past 10-15 years, or have smoked a pack a day for 20 or more years, you may be eligible for a Free Lung Cancer CT Screening. You can contact Lahey Clinic at 1-855-CT-CHEST (282-4378), or www.Lahey.org/FreeLungScreening, for more information.

The goal of low-dose CT lung screenings is to save lives. Without these CT lung screenings, lung cancer is usually not found until a person develops symptoms. At that time, the cancer is much harder to treat. The exam is easy. No medication is given, no needles are used. You can eat before and after the CT scan and it only takes a few seconds to complete.

As veterans we all know that for decades through the end of the Vietnam War, cigarettes were routinely included in K-rations and C-rations and were sold at discounted prices at military exchanges and commissaries. Here is an opportunity to get checked out and find out if you need treatment for a cancer you did not know you had.

If you tried to quit smoking, keep trying. Millions of people have quit, so can you. If not, and you are a veteran and between the ages of 50 and 75, and were a smoker, call Lahey Clinic, you may be eligible to make an appointment for one of the Free CT Lung Cancer Screenings.