WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital has been designated an ACR (American College of Radiology) Lung Cancer Screening Center. The accreditation was made by the ACR’s Committee on CT Accreditation.
The new lung cancer screening program was started in 2021 by the WVU Cancer Institute at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital. The program is based on annual chest CT scans and identifies lung cancer at an earlier stage, which has proven to improve patient outcomes. The WVU Cancer Institute also is accredited by the ACR as a designated Lung Cancer Screening Center.
Chief Radiologist Mark Benson, M.D., said, “The accreditation is the result of a dedicated and skilled CT scan team placing patient quality, safety, and care as the highest priorities. We are proud to offer low-dose CT exams to patients identified as high-risk for lung cancer.”
Robert Herron, III, D.O., thoracic surgeon at the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute at Wheeling Hospital, and Jondavid Pollock, M.D., Ph.D., chair of Radiation Oncology at the WVU Cancer Institute at Wheeling Hospital, lead the program.
To be eligible for the lung cancer screening, participants must meet all of the following criteria:
• Between 50-80 years old
• >20 pack/year smoking history (1 pack per day for 20 years)
• Current smoker or have quit smoking in the past 15 years
• No symptoms of lung cancer
• Patients who currently smoke will be offered smoking cessation options.
A multidisciplinary team at the WVU Cancer Institute at Wheeling Hospital is available to offer the testing to appropriate individuals with a comprehensive discussion of all aspects of screening for lung cancer and treatment, should that be necessary. Members of the team include radiologists, nurse navigators, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pulmonologists, and chest surgeons. Those interested in the screening should consult with their healthcare provider.
“Lung cancer remains a common disease in our area and typically presents at an advanced stage with less-than-adequate outcomes,” Dr. Pollock said. “Screening for lung cancer with a low-dose CT scan before symptom development has been proven to reduce the likelihood of advanced disease and, as a result, improve patient outcomes.”
The clinic is held in Dr. Herron's office, Tower 1 Suite 104. Appointments are required. Call 304-243-8669.