With the advancement in technology, our researchers have achieved so far in science in medicine that diseases can be easily diagnosed before there is any sort of disease.
Such a technique of diagnosis where diseases are diagnosed at the very earliest stage that there isn’t a disease, but disease-causing symptoms are called as ‘screening.’
Screening has helped doctors to detect cancer at a very early stage through is symptoms.
For a disease like lung cancer screening is done, here low-dose computed tomography or say low dose CT scan is done.
Here low dosage of X-rays is used to image the lungs for a few minutes, and the process isn’t painful at all.
But there are few things one should know before going down for lung screening:-
WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SCREENED FOR LUNG CANCER
Well the U.S. preventive services task force recommends LDCT to be done yearly for people who –
•Do heavy smoking
• Smoke now or have been smoking for 15 years or,
• Are aged between 55 and 88 years.
DISADVANTAGES OF GOING THROUGH SCREENING
•There can be a false positive result where the risk is detected even when there aren’t any risk or earliest symptoms that may lead to the processing of fine surgeries which are risky.
•Overdiagnosis or say further unrequired diagnosis can happen for such issues which aren’t harmful.
•The radiation of the X-ray is strong enough to damage the cell and cause the Intergrowth of cells rapidly, leading to a tumor.
This is why the screening is recommended for an adult who is on edge to have such a disease.
But screening or getting medication isn’t a solution if you are a Chainsmoker and have not given up the habit of smoking even after the diagnosis of the risk.
One should quit smoking as soon as possible because damaging yourself isn’t a solution to any problem.
WHEN THE SCREENING AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD ISN’T REQUIRED?
Well according to U.S. task force screening should be cut off either when-
•The person turns 81.
• Hasn’t worked for more than 15 years
•Develops a health issue that makes him or her unable to go throw the surgery if lung cancer is found.