What to know
You can play a key role in reducing lung cancer, the number one cause of cancer death in the United States.
Help patients lower their lung cancer risk
Tobacco
Ask your patients if they use tobacco products.
- Advise patients who don't use them not to start.
- Encourage patients who do use tobacco products to quit, and offer help with quitting. A doctor's advice to quit is an important motivator for patients who are trying to stop smoking.
- Talk with cancer patients about the risks of tobacco use after a cancer diagnosis and include tobacco cessation services as part of a survivorship care plan when indicated.
Tell patients that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, and advise them to avoid it.
For more information and resources, visit Patient Care.
In this video, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams lists three steps health care professionals can take to help their patients quit smoking.
Radon
Encourage your patients to test their home for radon and to take steps to reduce the radon level if it is high.
TIPs on Radon
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) offers resources to help clinicians evaluate and manage patients concerned about radon exposure.
Other resources:
- Radon Information for Healthcare Providers (CDC)
- Reducing the Risk from Radon: Information and Interventions (Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors)
Help patients decide whether to get lung cancer screening
Screening people at high risk for lung cancer can reduce deaths by finding lung cancer at an early stage, when treatment works best. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for those at high risk of getting lung cancer based on their smoking history and age. Many private insurers and Medicare cover annual LDCT screening for lung cancer for eligible patients, as well as a visit to decide if lung cancer screening is right for them.
Most people who should be screened for lung cancer do not receive it. Increasing knowledge about screening recommendations can help prevent deaths.
You can help:
- Determine if your patients are eligible for lung cancer screening. The updated recommendations mean that more patients are eligible for lung cancer screening.
- Make sure your patients understand the possible benefits and harms of screening.
- Work with your patients to make decisions about screening.
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