Lung Screening Pilot
Overview
The NL Lung Screening Pilot offers lung screening to eligible individuals, aged 55-74 years, at sites in St. John’s and Grand Falls-Windsor. The pilot project also offers smoking cessation referral, education and support.
Eligibility requirements
The referral criteria for an initial risk assessment includes the following:
- 55 to 74 years of age;
- currently smoking or have smoked in the past; and
- have a smoking history of 20 years or more.
The screening tests take place at health-care facilities in St. John’s and Grand Falls-Windsor. The pilot project currently focuses on eligible individuals in the Eastern Avalon Peninsula portion of NL Health Services’ Eastern Zones and the Western portion of NL Health Services’ Central Zone who would be referred to these health-care facilities for testing.
Referral information
- Individuals who meet the eligibility criteria can be referred by a health-care provider or can self-refer.
- Individuals are encouraged to talk to their health-care provider to see if screening is right for them.
- Individuals can also self-refer by calling 1-833-752-4964.
Assessment and screening test
- Once eligible individuals are referred to the program, an initial risk assessment is completed by a registered nurse lung screening navigator.
- This risk assessment will determine whether individuals are also eligible for a screening test (low-dose lung CT scan).
- For individuals who receive the screening test, communication of the results of the test and any additional follow-up, as needed, is provided by the patient’s primary health-care provider in collaboration with the NL Lung Screening Pilot team.
- For individuals who self-refer who do not have a primary health-care provider, communication of the results of the screening test and any additional follow-up, as needed, is provided by a health-care provider from the NL Lung Screening Pilot team within the Cancer Care Program.
- Depending on the result of the screening test (low dose CT scan), patients may be referred for additional testing or treatment, as needed.
Smoking cessation
Individuals who are referred to the pilot project are also offered smoking cessation support. A registered nurse lung screening navigator will provide smoking cessation referral, education and support.
Benefits of screening
Getting checked for cancer through a screening test may check for health problems before signs and symptoms appear and find cancers at an early stage, before symptoms appear and before it has spread, making it easier to treat.
Contact us
Talk to a registered nurse navigator to see if screening is right for you.
Telephone: 1-833-752-4964 (toll-free)
Email: nllungscreening@easternhealth.ca
Additional information
The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer provided funding for this pilot project. The pilot project is currently offered until March 31, 2025.