World Lung Cancer Day
A quick scan could save your life
8/1/2025
August 1 is
World Lung Cancer Day, and Aspirus Health has one clear
message for anyone who has ever been a heavy smoker: schedule a low dose CT
scan. The fast, painless test can spot lung cancer years before symptoms
appear—when it’s easiest to cure.
“A low dose CT scan
is quick, painless, and powerful,” says Christopher
Peterson, MD, board-certified oncologist at Aspirus Cancer Care.
“It can find very small cancers on the lungs that otherwise wouldn’t have been
detectable,” Peterson explains. “When we’re able to identify cancers earlier,
we’re more often able to cure those cancers.”
Who should be
screened?
If you check all
four boxes below, it’s time to talk to your provider:
- Current smoker or
quit within the last 15 years
- Age 50–77 (up to 80
if you have private insurance)
- 20+
“pack‑years” (a pack a day for 20 years, or the
equivalent)
- No lung cancer
symptoms such as coughing blood or unexplained weight loss
Why it matters
Lung cancer remains
the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, yet only about
one in 10 eligible people get screened.
Take the next step
Call an Aspirus
Nurse Navigator at 715.847.2284 or talk with your primary care provider to find
out if you qualify.
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