Swedish Lung Cancer Screening Program

Since 2014, Swedish Cancer Institute has been offering Lung Cancer Screening to all eligible patients. Lung Cancer remains the leading cause of death from cancer in the United States, with 80-90% of these deaths due to cigarette smoking.¹

We are Here to Help!

In addition to Lung Cancer Screening, we offer Smoking Cessation Counseling and prescription medication support through our trained Tobacco Treatment Specialists.

What is Lung Cancer Screening?

Lung Cancer Screening uses a low dose CT scan (which is a very detailed x-ray) to look at your chest and lungs. The scan is very quick, taking just minutes, causes no discomfort and exposes you to only a very small amount of radiation (the equivalent of background radiation exposure over 1 year) and will give your team a much more detailed picture of your chest and lungs.

Who Should Get Screened?

Swedish follows the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommendations² for all individuals between the ages of 50 and 80 who have a 20 or more pack-year history (calculated by multiplying packs smoked per day by number of years smoked), and who either currently smoke or quit smoking within the last 15 years to get screened for Lung Cancer.

What to Expect

Before getting your CT scan insurance requires everyone to have a shared decision-making conversation. This conversation can occur either in person in our office or over the computer, virtually. This first visit ensures you are eligible for Lung Cancer Screening and have all your questions answered.

Lung Cancer screening is a commitment—it is not a single scan but rather a program to monitor your lungs and catch any signs of lung cancer early, at its most treatable stage. Some people will have abnormal findings on their CT scans others will need a once-a-year CT checkup. We are here to partner with you for whatever your personal needs may be. We cannot feel our lungs, only through looking at your lungs with CT images can we catch lung cancer early and lower your risk together.

Next Steps

Call us at 206-386-6800 between Monday and Friday, 8 am to 5 pm to get scheduled for your Shared Decision-Making Appointment.

[1]. CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention. What Are the Risk Factors for Lung Cancer? [August 25, 2022]; Learn more.

[2]. U.S. Preventative Services Task Force. Lung Cancer: Screening. [August 25, 2022]; Learn more.