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Eligible Albertans aged 50 to 74 who currently smoke or quit after smoking for many years can get screened for lung cancer through the Alberta Lung Cancer Screening Program (ALCSP). This two-year pilot project, which began in September 2022, will offer low-dose chest CT (LDCT) scans to approximately 3,000 at-risk individuals. One in 13 Albertans will develop lung cancer in their lifetime, and more than 1,500 will die each year, making lung cancer the leading cause of cancer deaths. Regular screening of high-risk asymptomatic individuals can lower the risk of dying from it by almost 25%. The project has expanded and is now offered through clinics in six Primary Care Networks – Mosaic, Calgary West Central, Highland, Edmonton O-day’min, Edmonton Southside and Grande Prairie. These areas were chosen based on high smoking rates and higher risk populations. Refer eligible patients within these PCNs to the ALCSP for LDCT screening and enhanced tobacco cessation support. Access the ALCSP Smart Referral form. The project, funded through AHS and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, will inform further implementation of a province-wide program.
Quitting smoking is one of the best things individuals can do for their health and to reduce their risk of lung cancer – cigarette smoking is the cause of eight out of ten cases. Talk with your patients about options available to help them quit or go to albertaquits.healthiertogether.ca. A tobacco cessation case manager will contact all current smokers referred to the ALCSP. They will complete a needs assessment to help navigate provincial resources and identify anyone needing financial support for pharmacotherapy. Patients requiring chest imaging for specific symptoms should be managed per current clinical processes rather than through the ALCSP. | 