Liberty Hospital
Press Releases
August 29, 2011
Contact Name: Matt Smithmier
Contact Email: matt.smithmier@libertyhospital.org
Contact Phone: 816-407-2317
New screening seeks early discovery of lung cancer
Liberty Hospital now offers a new screening to help with early detection of lung cancer in high-risk individuals. The new Lung Cancer Screening uses low-dose CT scanning to obtain a multiple-image picture of the entire chest. The scan is painless, noninvasive and takes just a few minutes.

“Offering this new screening to the community gives us an invaluable tool to fight lung cancer,” said Michael Gibson, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Liberty Hospital. “This is a better way to help detect the cancer early, which will improve the chances for cure and survival.”

The National Cancer Institute estimates that 94 million Americans may be eligible for a screening CT scan. This screening is encouraged for men and women who are at a high risk for developing lung cancer, including current or former smokers 55 years or older who have smoked the equivalent of at least one pack per day for 30 years.

The test takes just a few minutes, and results will be sent to the patient and his or her primary-care physician. The hospital offers the screening Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., to accommodate as many patients as possible.

While the lung screening is not covered by insurance, the fee is only $99. Walk-ins are accepted, or patients can schedule a scan by calling 816-792-7016.

This new screening is supported by the findings from the National Cancer Institute’s National Lung Screening Trial, a randomized national trial of current and former heavy smokers. The study found 20 percent fewer lung-cancer deaths and a 7-percent reduction in overall mortality among trial participants screened with low-dose CT.

Liberty Hospital is a 250-bed regional medical center serving Clay and Platte counties as well as the northwest Missouri corridor. Founded in 1974, Liberty Hospital is a public, not-for-profit hospital, created for the benefit of its community as a political subdivision district hospital under Chapter 206 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. It is governed by a six-member, publicly elected board of trustees who serve six-year terms. More than 1,900 employees and 300 physicians deliver compassionate, exceptional care using the latest technology and a full range of services. For more information, visit www.libertyhospital.org or call 816-781-7200.

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2525 Glenn Hendren Drive | P.O. Box 1002 | Liberty, Missouri 64069-1002 | 816-781-7200