THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021 DONATES | FROM Page 15 Beachmont Veterans Mem School for the project "Green Screens on the Go!" • Mr. K. at Revere High School Should You Be Screened for Lung Cancer? Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about lung cancer screenings? I was a big smoker but quit years ago, so I’m wondering if I should be checked out. Former Smoker Dear Still, Lung cancer screening is used to detect the presence of lung cancer in otherwise healthy people with a high risk of lung cancer. Should you be screened? It depends on your age and your smoking history. Here’s what you should know. Screening Recommendations The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force – an independent panel of medical experts that advises the government on health policies – recently expanded their recommendations for lung cancer screenings. They are now recommending annual screenings for high-risk adults between the ages of 50 and 80 who have at least a 20-pack year history who currently smoke or who have quit within the past 15 years. This is a change from the 2013 recommendation that referred to patients ages 55 to 80 with 30-year pack histories. A 20-pack year history is the equivalent of smoking one pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years. In 2020, lung cancer killed more than 135,000 Americans making it the deadliest of all possible cancers. In fact, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. Lung cancer also occurs predominantly in older adults. About two out of every three people diagnosed with lung cancer are 65 or older. You’ll also be happy to know that most health insurance plans cover lung cancer screenings to high-risk patients, as does Medicare up to age 77. Screening Pros and Cons Doctors use a low-dose computed tomography scan (also called a low-dose CT scan, or LDCT) of the lungs to look for lung cancer. If lung cancer is detected at an early stage, it’s more likely to be cured with treatment. But a LDCT isn’t recommended for every high-risk patient. LDCT scans have a high rate of false positives, which means that many will undergo additional (and unnecessary) screening or medical procedures, such as another scan three, six, or even 12 months later to check for changes in the shape or size of the suspicious area (an indication of tumor growth). For some patients, the anxiety or worry that goes along with waiting can be a real issue. Or you may need a biopsy (removal of a small amount of lung tissue), which has risks, especially for those with underlying health conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema. For example, in people with emphysema, there’s a chance of a lung collapsing during the procedure. If you meet the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force criteria for high-risk lung cancer, the University of Michigan off ers a free online tool (see ShouldIScreen.com) to help you decide if you should get an LDCT. It’s also important to discuss the benefi ts and risks with your primary care doctor before making a decision. Tips for Testing If you and your doctor determine that you should be screened, look for an imaging facility whose staff follows American College of Radiology requirements when performing low-dose CT scans. You can fi nd accredited facilities at ACRaccreditation.org. This can help to ensure an accurate read of your scans by a highly trained, board-certifi ed or board-eligible radiologist. You may need a referral from your primary care provider. Most insurance companies, including Medicare require this before they’ll cover the cost of screening. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. for the project "Raspberry Pi Devices in an Urban District" • Mrs. Hayes at Revere High School for the project "iPad for Delivering Instruction" "Teachers took this past year head-on, engineering a variety of innovative methods to keep their students learning in both in-person and virtual classrooms," said Lori Abou Habib, chief marketing offi cer for SONIC. "We express our gratitude to teachers like these, who create inspirational learning environments for students during a challenging time. With SONIC's $1.5 million donation match, we were able to help teachers access much-need supplies to successfully complete this school year." SONIC is committed to helping teachers now in this time of need, and all year long. Through Limeades for Learning, SONIC has donated more than $19 million to public school teachers, helping more than 36,000 teachers and impacting nearly 7.4 million students in public schools nationwide since 2009. Visit LimeadesforLearning.com to learn about future funding opportunities and explore public school teacher requests in your local community in need of support. Page 17 ~ FLASHBACK ~ 44th in a series of Oh the fun we used to have... The two Revere characters, the late Johnny “Side Car” Catizone (left) andJohn“Goombah” Tewksbury as the former “chefs” at Boston Everett. These three bikers fed the hundreds that rode into every dealership event and fed the masses of free hot dogs, hamburgers, and anything else they could cook up! Those days are long gone but the memories still remain.
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