Baptist Health Corbin screens for lung cancer

Nov. 16—CORBIN — Patients from the southeastern Kentucky region participated in a special event hosted by Baptist Health Corbin offering lung cancer screening exams on Saturday, November 9, at their new diagnostic center off the Cumberland Gap Parkway in east Corbin. The event was part of the 100 Days of Service marking the Baptist Health system's centennial celebration. Baptist Health Corbin was one of hundreds of imaging centers across the country that opened their doors on Saturday, to take part in the 3rd annual Lung Cancer Screening Awareness Day, which occurs on the second Saturday in November.

All Baptist Health hospitals offer lung CT screening. The annual screening test consists of a CT scan of the chest (with a low dose of radiation), which is a painless, non-invasive exam that takes only minutes to complete. To be screened, patients must meet specific criteria based on age, smoking history, smoking status, and how much they smoke or have smoked. When patients meet the criteria, they are considered to be at a higher risk of developing lung cancer over time. In addition to the criteria, patients who complete the screening should be without symptoms of lung cancer (cough, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, fatigue, etc.) and they should agree to complete any follow up care that is suggested from the screening.

"It was so gratifying to see the results of removing barriers to getting lung cancer screening today for these patients in our region. We purposefully tried to set up people to come in this past Saturday, especially those that work full time on weekdays, which makes it harder for them to make and keep medical appointments. Opening our doors on the weekend to perform these screenings will hopefully encourage and empower these patients to continue to be proactive in their lung health," said Brandie Stamper, RT, Patient Screening Navigator, Baptist Health Corbin.

The purpose of the test is to complete the scan on individuals who are at higher risk and without symptoms to catch lung cancer in its earliest stages. When lung cancer is caught early, it results in better outcomes, including a higher chance of being cured from the disease. According to the American Lung Association statistics, Kentucky's lung cancer rate is the highest in the nation. And lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death among men and women in the United States. There are often no symptoms in the early and most curable stages of the disease. With early detection, coupled with prompt treatment, the chance of cure is greatly increased.

For those who are interested or have questions on getting screened, they should reach out to their primary care provider. An order is required for the screening and each patient should have a conversation with their doctor or nurse practitioner, where the risks and benefits of the screening can be discussed, prior to scheduling their screening. Once the order is placed, and sent to Baptist Health Corbin, the scheduling department will then reach out to the patient to assist them in being scheduled for the exam at their convenience. The results and any recommended follow up care will be communicated to the patient by their ordering provider.

Centennial celebration

The original Kentucky Baptist Hospital in Louisville opened its doors in November 1924 following years of rallying community support and fundraising. Baptist Health has since expanded to 10 hospitals and more than 2,700 licensed beds, reaching nearly 75 percent of Kentucky residents and a wide swath of southern Indiana.

In 2024, Baptist Health celebrates its 100th anniversary, and is marking each month with a health-related "gift" to its communities. In October, residents of Somerset received their annual shot to fend off the flu at an Oct. 7 event organized by Baptist Health Corbin at Rocky Hollow Recreation Center as part of its 100 Days of Service centennial celebration.

For further questions regarding low dose CT scans and lung cancer screening, feel free to contact Brandie Stamper, Patient Screening Navigator at Baptist Health Corbin at 606-526-4776 or .

— Courtesy Baptist Health Corbin