Dashing up the stairs or sprinting to the car can leave many of us out of breath. And while it can usually be explained away by activity or a minor illness, chronic shortness of breath could be a sign of something more serious: lung cancer.

Because the symptoms can take years to develop, most lung cancer is found late when treatment options have limited success. But there is good news: Doctors now have a screening test to catch lung cancer early. It’s called low-dose computed tomography (LDCT).

LDCT produces cross-sectional images of the entire chest, including the lungs, using special x-ray equipment and sophisticated computers. These images enable doctors to detect very small growths in the lung.

The benefits

What are the benefits of screenings? The biggest benefit is that it can find lung cancer in its beginning stages, which helps lower the risk of dying from the disease. Early diagnosis also means that doctors can often use minimally invasive surgery to remove cancer and preserve more lung tissue.

Other benefits of LDCT include:

• It’s fast, painless, and noninvasive.

• It uses much less radiation than a traditional CT scan of the chest.

Should you get tested?

Anyone at high risk for lung cancer should get an annual LDCT lung cancer screening, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. You may qualify if either category applies to you.

Age 50 and older

A 20-pack-year* history and one of the following:

• Exposure to radon, asbestos, silica, or other cancer-causing substance
• Personal history of lymphoma or smoking-related cancer such as head and neck, bladder or colon cancer
• Family history of lung cancer
• COPD or pulmonary fibrosis

* 20 pack year is equivalent to 1 pack a day for 20 years, or 2 packs a day for 10 years.

If you still smoke, it’s never too late to quit. Public Health — Dayton & Montgomery County is partnering with Kettering Health to offer Clinical Best Practice Smoking Cessation, modeled after the Mayo Clinic’s program. These free five-week sessions will take you through the quitting process.

To sign up for a smoking cessation class or ask a question, call (937) 558-3988.