Lung cancer screenings to be offered at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center

OKLAHOMA CITY – To promote early cancer detection and provide lifesaving resources to the community, OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences (800 NE 10th St, Oklahoma City) will host a lung cancer screening event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Open to all, the event will include information about lung cancer screening and prevention, as well as health resources. Men and women ages 50 to 80 who currently smoke, have a 20-pack-a-year history, or who quit smoking in the last 15 years, are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to receive a lung cancer screening at no cost.

Cancer remains a leading cause of death in Oklahoma, and the state has a higher incidence of new lung cancer cases compared to the national average, according to the American Lung Association. Nearly every two minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with lung cancer, and every day, 357 Americans lose their lives to the disease.

While the survival rate in Oklahoma has improved by 20% in the last five years, the state still has a significantly lower survival rate than the rest of the country, due in part to lower screening rates. In addition, American Indian, Black and Latino residents in Oklahoma face higher lung cancer diagnosis rates, yet they are less likely to be diagnosed early compared to white counterparts.

Screenings for lung cancer, especially for those at high risk, can reduce the lung cancer death rate by up to 20%. Detecting tumors at early stages significantly enhances the chances of successful treatment.

“By the time lung cancer signs and symptoms develop, the cancer is usually too advanced for curative treatment,” said Stephenson Cancer Center thoracic surgeon and thoracic surgical oncologist Matthew Reinersman, M.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at OU College of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences. “Lung cancer screenings dramatically increase the possibility of catching lung cancer when it can be treated, thus increasing the survival rate.”

Appointments are not required but encouraged. To make an appointment, call 405-271-LUNG. For accommodations or questions, please email events@ouhealth.com.