Chennai: Apollo Cancer Centres have launched the LungLife screening programme for the early detection of lung cancers. Under the screening programme, patients will receive a pulmonary function test and a low-dose CT scan, a specialised X-ray technique that uses a one-fifth dose of radiation to produce detailed images of the lungs, along with a consultation.
Lung cancer accounts for 5.9% of all cancers and 8.1% of cancer-related deaths in India. "Early detection aids in better treatment outcomes and enhances the survival rate," said the hospital's Consultant Pulmonologist Dr Sridhar Ravichandran. "Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers globally, but early detection notably enhances survival chances. Our aim is to identify high-risk individuals early. The low-dose CT technology reduces radiation exposure but maximises diagnostic precision," he said.
This programme is targeted at people between 50 to 80 years, those with a history of smoking, passive smoking exposure, or a family history of lung cancer, he said. The hospital is working out plans to add the programme to regular annual health screening for high-risk individuals. The cost of the screening will be 4,999.