Linda never considered herself a heavy smoker. She smoked in her 20s when it was popular and all her friends were doing it, but she gave up the habit years ago. Since then, she has prioritized her health by eating right, working out and leading a healthy lifestyle. Part of this practice includes being an advocate for preventative medicine, so she always receives her annual physical. In 2020, while at her yearly appointment with her healthcare provider, she talked about her previous smoking and asked about any preventative measures she should take to keep her lungs healthy. A low-dose CT-scan was suggested, and it would ultimately save her life.
The scan came back clear, except for a spot on her heart which her doctor decided to watch closely with follow-up scans. In June 2024, a nodule was found on her lungs which began to worry them. It grew rapidly and by December of that same year her doctors decided they needed to take action.
Linda had surgery to remove the upper lobe of the lung and infected lymph nodes. The surgery was successful and without radiation and chemo she was once again cancer-free. Linda felt so lucky to have gotten the CT scan and that the healthcare team was able to catch her cancer when it was Stage I adenocarcinoma before it had spread. “I had no symptoms, not one whatsoever,” Linda explained. “I did the scan as preventative maintenance and sure enough, it caught it. I think everyone should do it because it saved my life.”
Her story inspired three close friends with similar smoking histories to talk to their doctor about a CT scan. “I think people think if they don’t have any symptoms, they don’t need to get screened, but that is not the point. The point is to get screened beforehand to catch the cancer before it becomes more serious,” she said.
Linda will be getting scans every six months, and then every year, to make sure that she stays cancer-free, but the experience hasn’t gotten her down. In fact, she considers herself lucky. “Though it’s never pleasant to find out you’re sick or need surgery, I am so glad I caught it now. If I had waited five years from now when I had developed bad symptoms and it had spread, it may not have been as easy to treat and it could have been a very different outcome,” she said.
Learn About Low-Dose CT Scans
Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., due in part because it is often diagnosed a later stage. The low-dose CT scan offers a simple, non-invasive way to detect lung cancer early, when it’s most treatable. Despite its availability and potential to save thousands of lives each year, only a small percentage of eligible individuals take advantage of this tool.
The screening itself is quick, painless and takes only a few minutes. The low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), creates detailed images of the lungs with significantly less radiation than a standard CT scan. This means there is no need for dyes, injections or fasting beforehand, and patients can typically return to normal activities right away. If something is found, follow-up tests can help determine if cancer is present and guide next steps. The goal is not only to detect cancer but to do so before the cancer has spread and when treatment is most effective.
Anyone between 50 and 80 years old, who currently smokes or has quit within the last 15 years and has a 20 pack-year history of smoking, is eligible for screening. These guidelines are designed to help identify people who are at high risk of developing lung cancer. If you're unsure whether you meet these criteria, visit SavedByTheScan.org and take the free online quiz to help determine your eligibility and guide you through the next steps in getting screened.
“Talk to your doctor about low dose lung screening and see if you are eligible,” Linda says. “I hope they expand eligibility in the future because I think everyone should have access to this lifesaving scan.”
Blog last updated: June 3, 2025
