Kim Sandler, Professor of Radiology, Director Vanderbilt Lung Screening Program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“What If Every Mammogram Was Also an Opportunity to Prevent Late Stage Lung Cancer?
Women routinely prioritize their health by showing up for mammograms.
What if we used that same visit as an opportunity to identify women at risk for lung cancer?
I’m excited to share our publication examining the geographic relationship between mammography and lung cancer screening facilities across the United States. What we found was striking: many mammography facilities are located in the same building-or within a very short distance-of lung cancer screening programs. In fact, millions of women who may be eligible for lung cancer screening receive care in counties where these services are already closely aligned.
This means that for many women, lung cancer screening isn’t a question of building new infrastructure. The infrastructure already exists.
The opportunity is simple:
- Assess lung cancer screening eligibility during a mammography visit.
- Inform women about their lung cancer risk.
- Facilitate referral to a nearby lung screening program.
- Reduce barriers by bringing screening opportunities together.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in women, yet lung cancer screening rates remain far below mammography rates. We have an opportunity to meet women where they already are and leverage one successful screening program to strengthen another. As someone whose work focuses on women, lung cancer screening, and risk assessment, I believe this is one of the most practical and immediately actionable strategies available to us today.
We don’t need to wait for the next breakthrough. We need to connect the dots. And we owe it to the women in our communities to do so.
Grateful for this incredible team of researchers.”
Title: Leveraging High Mammography Screening Prevalence to Increase Lung Cancer Screening Among Women-a Geospatial Perspective
Authors: Vanhvilai L. Douangchai Wills, Liora Sahar, Lauren Rosenthal, Ella A. Kazerooni, Kim Lori Sandler, Carey Thomson, Robert A. Smith
Read the Full Article.
