Upcoming EventsNyack, N.Y., May 9, 2025 – In 2023, one in eight adults identified as a smoker in Rockland County. Lung cancer is the most common cancer in Rockland County and is the leading cause of death from cancer nationwide. According to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, an estimated 226,650 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2025 in the United States. One in 16 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime – one in 16 men and one in 17 women.
Symptoms of lung cancer don’t usually appear until the disease is already at an advanced stage. That’s why screening for lung cancer in current and former smokers is so important, according to Murali G Krishna, MD, FCCP Director of Pulmonary Medicine at Montefiore Nyack Hospital in Nyack, NY. “Having lung cancer screening available in Rockland County is very important. Early detection can significantly reduce lung cancer death rates by 20% by detecting tumors at early stages when the cancer is more likely to be curable,” says Dr. Krishna. “In some cases when caught early, lung cancer can be treated by relatively simple lung surgery without additional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.”
The recommended screening test for lung cancer is low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), also called a low-dose CT scan. Screening is recommended only for adults who have no symptoms but are at high risk. During an LDCT scan, you lie on a table and a CT machine makes detailed images of your lungs. The scan takes less than 10 minutes and is not painful. You do not need to be injected with contrast dye, unlike some other types of CT scans. The radiation dose is minimal — 90% less than a regular CT scan. Most insurance plans and Medicare help pay for recommended lung cancer screening tests.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends yearly lung cancer screening with LDCT for people who—
- Have a 20-pack-year or more smoking history, and
- Smoke now or have quit within the past 15 years, and
- Are between 50 and 80 years old.
A pack-year is smoking an average of one pack of cigarettes per day for one year. For example, a person could have a 20-pack-year history of smoking one pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years.
The guidelines recommend that yearly lung cancer screening stop when the person being screened—
- Turns 80 years old, or
- Has not smoked in 15 or more years, or
- Develop a health problem that makes them unable or unwilling to have treatment if lung cancer is identified.
Montefiore Nyack Hospital provides a full range of services, from helping patients quit smoking to detecting lung cancer early. Highland Medical Pulmonary Medicine Associates, at 160 North Midland Avenue, on the 2nd floor within Montefiore Nyack Hospital, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary conditions and lung disorders, including the latest treatments by oncology specialists for patients with lung cancer to have the best possible treatment outcomes.
To schedule a consultation or a lung cancer screening appointment, call 845-348-8360.
