As part of its mission to bring high-quality healthcare services closer to patients, NYU Langone Health and Perlmutter Cancer Center have expanded the Lung Cancer Screening Program to more than a dozen additional locations throughout its network in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and on Long Island. The expansion allows for earlier detection of lung cancer, which could lead to lifesaving interventions for thousands of people.
“There is a pressing need for more lung cancer screening, particularly in communities where we see high rates of lung cancer and smoking,” says Abraham Chachoua, MD, the Jay and Isabel Fine Professor of Oncology and director of Perlmutter Cancer Center’s Lung Cancer Center. “Early detection of lung cancer saves lives, and we’re committed to expanding our screening program and bringing our world-renowned expertise to the communities who need it most.”
Nationwide, lung cancer is projected to kill more than 130,000 people in 2021, twice the number of mortalities from any other cancer. However, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), if lung cancer is identified before it advances, the likelihood of surviving five years or more increases by 59 percent.
The USPSTF recently updated eligibility guidelines for annual lung cancer screening procedures, lowering the recommended age from age 55 to 50 and reducing the smoking history guideline from 30 pack-years to 20 pack-years. As a result of the new guidelines, released in March 2021, the number of people advised to have yearly scans has nearly doubled.
Access to Lung Cancer Screening Throughout the Region
In addition to NYU Langone’s Manhattan campus locations, lung cancer screening is now available to people at multiple sites in Brooklyn, Queens and on Long Island.
“Our new locations make it easier for those at risk for developing lung cancer to get screened without needing to travel far from home,” says Jeffrey G. Schneider, MD, division director of hematology and medical oncology at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island. “If treatment is needed, we offer patients comprehensive, integrated care using the latest cancer treatments available at multiple locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and on Long Island.”
NYU Langone also offers a financial assistance program to cover the cost of lung cancer screening and treatment if necessary, to ensure all patients have access to high-quality cancer care, regardless of their health insurance status or ability to pay.
Getting Screened for Lung Cancer
The team at Perlmutter Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, proactively identifies existing patients who qualify for lung cancer screening through NYU Langone’s electronic health record.
For those who qualify for testing, the initial screening involves a low-dose CT scan. If a growth or nodule is detected, follow-up screening may include advanced techniques such as navigational bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound, or needle biopsy, to determine the best course of treatment.
“Using advanced technologies that weren’t previously available, we can now better evaluate suspicious growths deep inside the lung which may be more amenable to treatments like surgery,” says Jorge M. Mercado, MD, associate chief of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn, who performs biopsies on the lungs. “Patients experience the best outcomes with early detection and treatment.”
Perlmutter Cancer Center’s Lung Cancer Screening Program brings together a wide array of cancer and medical specialists from across NYU Langone who collaborate to provide personalized, patient-centered care. The center offers chemotherapy for all types of cancer and blood disorders, genetic counseling and testing, nutrition education, and social work support in consultation with professionals from across NYU Langone locations.
To inquire about screening eligibility, to schedule a lung cancer screening or for more information, please call the following numbers:
- Manhattan: 855-NYU-LUNG (855-698-5864)
- Brooklyn and Queens: 212-404-3482
- Long Island: 516-663-4658