Mobile lung screening unit eliminates barriers to access in Carolinas

Levine Cancer Institute launched the first mobile lung CT unit to provide cancer screening to rural communities in North and South Carolina, two states with above-average rates of lung cancer diagnosis.

"This unique vehicle visibly demonstrates our commitment to removing the barriers to care that exist in many of the communities served by Levine Cancer Institute," said Derek Raghavan, MD, president of Levine Cancer Institute. "We firmly believe that by taking advanced, low radiation lung cancer screenings to these communities, new lung cancer patients will be diagnosed at an earlier stage and will have access to a broad array of support and treatments."

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the United States—more than breast, prostate, and colon cancers combined. While both Carolinas boast large metropolitan hubs, people living in rural areas often face care access challenges, including fewer providers and long travel times to facilities, according Robert Croyle, PhD, Director of the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences.

The mobile CT unit will screen people in their community and provided detailed information about the follow-up process, including contact information to a program coordinator who can answer any questions they might have. However, giving underserved communities access to educational resources on the dangers of tobacco can be just as important as actually screening them, said Croyle in the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Currents blog.

“A good example is some of the success we’ve seen with state and community tobacco control initiatives,” he wrote. “While many initiatives aren’t focused specifically on rural populations, they provide good examples of how we can partner with local organizations to increase the sustainable impact of NCI-funded research.”

The mobile CT screening unit features a low-dose CT scanner, wireless connection for image transfer, and is handicap accessible.

"By eliminating the transportation, financial, and resource barriers to care that prevent patients from accessing early diagnosis and life-saving treatment, we believe this program will improve the quality of life and enhance survivorship for lung cancer patients in the Carolinas," said Mellisa Wheeler, director of disparities and outreach at Levine Cancer Institute. "Access to optimal screening is paramount to early detection, intervention and survival for those at high risk for contracting the deadly disease."