New initiative provides lung cancer screening for Illinois firefighters

Firefighters face unique occupational exposures that can increase their risk for lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. During firefighting operations, they may encounter smoke, diesel exhaust, asbestos, benzene, silica and other cancer-causing substances released during fires. Because lung cancer often develops silently and symptoms frequently do not appear until the disease has reached an advanced stage, early screening is critical.

Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and executive director, Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic InstituteLung cancer remains the deadliest cancer in the United States, affecting both smokers and non-smokers, and yet we continue to wait for symptoms before many people receive a diagnosis. By bringing screening directly to firefighters, we're taking a proactive approach to finding cancer earlier, when it is most treatable and potentially curable."

Research reveals major gaps in current lung cancer screening guidelines 

The Lung Health Center was created to evaluate a new approach: universal age-based screening, similar to breast and colon cancer screening programs. The center's ongoing research project aims to screen 10,000 individuals over five years, regardless of whether they meet traditional CT screening criteria.

Early findings show promise, including cancers detected in never-smokers 

In its first year, the Lung Health Center screened nearly 1,000 participants and produced promising results:

• The average participant age was 56.
• Forty percent had a smoking history but did not meet current USPSTF screening criteria.
• More than half (54%) had lung nodules or other findings that placed them at elevated risk and warranted ongoing surveillance.
• Six patients were diagnosed with early-stage cancers and successfully treated.
• Among those diagnoses were two patients with stage 1 lung cancer who had never smoked. Northwestern Medicine researchers are advocating for expanded lung cancer screening guidelines that would offer screening to adults ages 40 to 85, regardless of smoking history. Researchers estimate that an age-based approach could detect 94% of lung cancers and prevent more than 26,000 additional deaths annually.

"We successfully moved to universal age-based screening for breast and colon cancer, and lung cancer deserves the same attention," Bharat said. "A simple low-dose CT scan has the potential to save thousands of lives each year."

Lung cancer kills more Americans than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined, accounting for nearly one in five cancer deaths. Yet nearly 80% of lung cancers are still diagnosed at advanced stages, largely because symptoms often do not appear until the disease has progressed.

Firefighter initiative targets occupational cancer risks 

The firefighter screening initiative reflects Northwestern Medicine's commitment to identifying individuals at risk before symptoms develop and advancing research that could ultimately reshape national screening guidelines.

To schedule an appointment 

The Lung Health Center also includes a research component where participants contribute de-identified data to help establish new screening guidelines. The center incorporates artificial intelligence to provide rapid, highly sensitive analysis of results, with the goal of delivering comprehensive health insights within seconds of scanning.

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