Vernon Jubilee Hospital (Vernon Matters file photo)

By Liam Verster

New program

Vernon Jubilee Hospital among sites offering lung cancer screening

May 25, 2022 | 12:05 PM

Vernon Jubilee Hospital is one of several sites in the Interior running B.C. Cancer’s new Lung Screening Program.

The program is being offered at 36 sites throughout the province, including Kelowna General Hospital, Shuswap Lake Hospital in Salmon Arm, Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, and Penticton Regional Hospital.

Other Interior Health locations offering the new program include the Kootenay Boundary Hospital in Trail, Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson, Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake and GR Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel.

The program will offer lung screening using computed tomography (CT) scanners to try to identify lung cancer at an earlier stage and begin treatment right away.

It’s estimated the program will screen close to 10,000 patients across B.C. in the first year, and increase by approximately 15 per cent annually.

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The province stated that approximately 150 cases of lung cancer are expected to be diagnosed each year through this program, and that close to 75 per cent of the diagnoses will be at the early stages when the cancer may not have been identifiable via other means.

“Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Canada and worldwide,” said Dr. Stephen Lam, medical director of the B.C. Cancer Lung Screening Program.

“In B.C., seven people die of lung cancer every day. With 70 per cent of all cases diagnosed at an advanced stage, the Lung Screening Program aims to change this trend by detecting the majority of lung cancers at an early stage when treatment is more effective.”

Lung screening is best suited for those who are considered high risk, such as people between the ages of 55 and 74, people who currently or used to smokers, and people who have a smoking history of 20 years or more.

People who meet the criteria are encouraged to call the Lung Screening Program at 1-877-717-5864 to complete a consultation and risk assessment to determine eligibility.