LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Lung cancer is the nation’s second-most common cancer and the most lethal, but with proven early detection tools it can be found sooner and lives can be saved.

In honor of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Donald Norwood, CARTI’S medical director of imaging, stopped by Arkansas Today to share more about who should consider a low-dose CT scan as a way of screening for lung cancer.

Norwood explained that early detection of disease is critical against a disease like lung cancer, and he noted that as the early detection rate went up in Arkansas, so too did survival rates.

The American Cancer Society has recently updated screening guidance, and Norwood said the new guidelines suggest current and former smokers from the ages of 50-80. He also noted that testing is also now encouraged even if someone has smoked for more than 15 years.

For more information on low-dose CT scans and other lung health tips, head to CARTI.com.