Lung Cancer

Keeping your lungs healthy is always a priority. Lung diseases are some of the most common medical conditions in the world, with millions of people in the U.S. alone suffering some form of the disease. From coughs and colds to more complex conditions like lung nodules and lung cancer, the Lung Cancer Screening Program at UM Upper Chesapeake Health has highly trained specialists that can help.

Lung Cancer Screening

UM Upper Chesapeake Health is a Lung Cancer Alliance Screening Center of Excellence.

University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health (UM UCH) offers a reduced-dose lung cancer screening program that evaluates those considered at high risk for developing lung cancer from smoking.

• This non-invasive, CT scan uses about 25% of the radiation exposure of a regular CT scan and take 15 minutes to complete.
• Screening candidates include those who:
  • Ages 50-80
  • AND currently smoke or have quit less than 15 years ago,
  • AND have smoked for a TOTAL of 20 pack-years (pack-years = number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by TOTAL number of years smoking)
  • Have no symptoms and have no history of lung cancer

You may sign up for a screening, with a physician referral, at Advance Radiology on Plumtree Road in Bel Air.

For more information on our lung cancer screening program call 443-843-LUNG.

To help you decide if you might need a screening, take our health risk quiz.

Take our Lung Cancer Risk Assessment

Lung Nodule Clinic

Experts in the Lung Nodule Collaborative program follow National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines to evaluate and monitor individuals who have lung nodules found on their CT scans. The clinic features specialists who can diagnose, monitor and treat people with lung nodules.

The Lung Nodule Collaborative program:

• is a partnership between our thoracic surgery and pulmonary teams
• is recommended for individuals with newly found lung nodules or a history of lung nodules that are being monitored
• offer resources, including smoking cessation and pulmonary rehabilitation, that are covered by most major insurances

Interventional Pulmonology

Interventional pulmonology deals with the screening, diagnosis and treatment of both malignant and non-malignant diseases of the lungs and chest. Using bronchoscopy and other advanced technologies, procedures are less invasive and safer than more traditional care approaches and provide real-time samplings of abnormalities.

Procedures include:

• Bronchoscopy used to diagnose and treat lung conditions
• Endoscopic and endobronchial ultrasound used to obtain images inside the chest

Lung Cancer Treatment Program

Our Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Clinic includes specialists who will discuss and create a comprehensive treatment plan that is right for you. Our thoracic surgery team specializes in the surgical treatment of lung cancer and disorders of the chest, particularly the lungs and esophagus, and patients can feel confident that their care plan has been developed and reviewed by multiple experts. For more information call 443-643-3233.