WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — A mobile lung cancer screening unit operated by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center — Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute will park at the Fayette County Airport on Aug. 18, offering free low-dose CT scans to residents at high risk for the disease.
Fayette County Public Health and the Southwest Ohio Corn Growers are bringing the unit, known as The James, to the county’s annual Farm & Field Day at the airport, 2770 State Route 38 NE, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the health department said in a Facebook post.
The screening uses a low-dose CT scan that requires no needles and no advance preparation, according to the health department. Results are shared with patients through MyChart or by mail, and a health care provider follows up directly with anyone whose scan shows an abnormality.
Residents may qualify for a screening if they are between 50 and 80 years old and are current smokers with a history of smoking a pack a day for 20 years, or former smokers who quit within the last 15 years. Screenings are covered once a year and are billed to insurance. The Southwest Ohio Corn Growers Association has agreed to cover the cost for anyone who wants a screening but whose insurance does not cover it, the health department said.
OSUCCC – James rolled out the unit last fall as Ohio’s first mobile lung cancer screening program, sending it to rural and underserved communities across the state where smoking rates run higher and access to screening is limited. The cancer center says lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of both men and women in the United States, and that catching the disease before it spreads dramatically improves a patient’s odds of survival.
The Farm & Field Day itself is a longstanding summer tradition in Fayette County, hosted jointly by the Southwest Ohio Corn Growers and the Fayette County Agronomy Club with support from Ohio State University Extension, drawing farmers and residents from across the region for agronomy demonstrations and community outreach.
Residents who want to learn more or schedule a screening can call 614-293-6939 or visit go.osu.edu/lungcancerscreening.
The information contained in this story was obtained from Fayette County Public Health.
