Baptist Golden Triangle is offering a lung cancer screening on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022 in the hospital’s Outpatient Pavilion. The screenings are being offered by appointment in conjunction with National Lung Cancer Screening Day and Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November.
A screening is the single most effective strategy for reducing mortality from the disease and for closing the gap in health equity, according to the Radiology Healthy Equity Coalition. The event is being held on a Saturday to better accommodate those who cannot take time off work during the week to be screened, said Sherrie Jones, director of the Baptist Cancer Center – Golden Triangle.
“Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the U.S. It is time to change that statistic. This screening is recommended for individuals at high risk for lung cancer and has the potential to dramatically improve lung cancer survival rates,” Jones added. “Like all cancers, the earlier it is diagnosed, the higher the chances of a cure.”
Screening criteria include:
- Between 50 and 80 years old or
- Have a 20 pack year history of smoking (one pack a day for 20 years, two packs a day for 10 years, etc.) or
- Work in a hazardous environment or
- Currently smoke or have quit in the past 15 years
“Mississippi ranks 32 out of 50 in the nation for lung cancer screening. Studies show that an annual low-dose CT scan for those at high risk can reduce the lung cancer death rate by up to 20 percent,” said Kayla Pruitt, Baptist Golden Triangle assistant administrator who oversees oncology services. “We encourage anyone who is at risk to make an appointment. While we are currently focusing on the national screening day on November 12, we offer this screening every week day,” she added.
With 315 beds, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle is one of the largest regional hospitals affiliated with the Memphis, Tennessee-based Baptist Memorial Health Care system. More than 100 physicians and surgeons, representing almost every medical specialty, practice at the hospital that offers a full range of comprehensive medical care to patients of all ages.
In addition to the Baptist Cancer Centers in Columbus and Starkville, the hospital offers a variety of other services to the community. These include Baptist Behavioral Health Care for those with behavioral and mental health problems; an award winning cardiac program, which includes two cardiac cath labs and a hybrid operating room; a wound healing and hyperbaric oxygen therapy program; a bariatric surgery program; an extensive rehabilitation department; and free community education programs for the public. Baptist Golden Triangle is the only hospital in Mississippi and one of only 22 in the U.S. to have achieved Straight ‘A’s in Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Score since 2012. For more information, please call 662-244-1000 or visit goldentriangle.baptistonline.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/Baptistgoldentriangle
Original source can be found here.
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