If you think you qualify for screening, please contact your primary care doctor to obtain an order for the exam. Orders can be faxed to 206.606.6729.
Once an order has been placed and you are ready to schedule or if you have any questions about our Lung Cancer Screening Program, please call us at 206.606.1434.
CT Lung Cancer Screening Order Form (PDF)
Screening are done at these six locations:
Together, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and UW Medicine offer screening for people at high risk for lung cancer.
The simple and quick scan, called a low-dose computed tomography (CT), is the only recommended screening test for the disease. Survival rates for lung cancer improve dramatically when it's detected early.
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. The most important risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. While the prognosis for lung cancer is generally poor, finding it in its early stage has a better chance of survival since this is when it is the most treatable.
Following the merger of long-time partners, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, the organization was renamed to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that also serves as UW Medicine's cancer program.
These guidelines come from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
Learn More at US Prevention Services Task Force
If you are 50 or older and have smoked 1 pack a day for 20 years or more, you should consider screening if you have one of the following risk factors:
This group of high-risk patients is meant to be of similar risk for lung cancer as those in the first section. But it is not completely known how much this group will benefit from CT screening since there are no data from a randomized trial.
Secondhand smoke exposure is NOT an independent risk factor for lung cancer CT screening.
The scan is fast, simple, painless and you can stay fully clothed. A low-dose CT scan is a special kind of X-ray that takes multiple pictures as you lie on a table that slides in and out of the machine. A computer then combines these images into a detailed picture of your lungs.
To promote Indigenous health, Fred Hutch established the həliʔil Program to reach out to tribal nations and Indigenous groups in our region to promote lung cancer screening.
Learn more about the həliʔil Program
Learn how screening works, who it's for and what to expect from Fred Hutch pulmonologists.
Watch our short video to learn about lung cancer screening.
Most private health plans, Medicaid and Medicare cover lung cancer screening for eligible populations. Follow-up care required after the exam will likely be covered by your insurance or Medicare or Medicaid; however, please contact your insurance carrier to check your coverage or call Patient Financial Services at 206.606.6226 with any questions regarding authorizations.
Our program was one of the first in the nation to be named a Screening Center of Excellence by the Lung Cancer Alliance. We are also accredited by the American College of Radiology.
If your screening shows that you need further care, the doctors in our Lung Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Clinic and our lung cancer program are ready to help guide you through next steps.
The best way to reduce your risk of getting lung cancer is to stop smoking. It can be hard to quit smoking, but you can do it. And, you don’t have to do it alone. Your care team is here to support you. Here are some additional resources that can help you succeed:
The American Cancer Society recommends colorectal cancer screenings beginning at age 45 for people who have no known risk factors other than age. The frequency depends on the screening method.
Fred Hutch’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program offers a personalized approach to risk assessment, screening and prevention for people at high risk for gastrointestinal cancers.
Learn more about Colorectal Cancer Early Detection
Fred Hutch physicians recommend women 40 or older have a screening mammogram every year if they are at average risk for breast cancer. This matches guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers.
Fred Hutch is recognized as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. Our research works to improve early detection of breast cancer using imaging.
Learn more about Breast Cancer Screening