Lung Cancer Screening Program

Patients eligible to be screened are those who:
1) Are between 55 and 77 years of age;
2) Are a current smoker, or someone who quit less than 15 years ago;
3) Have a personal history of 30-pack years

Talk with your Primary Care Physician to see if you are a candidate for our Early Detection Screening Program. A physician referral is required. To learn more, call (508) 765-3024.

The early detection screening test is a simple, fast, and low-dose CT scan ordered by your primary care physician. The exam takes less than 15 minutes to complete but could be life-saving, as it allows radiologists and physicians to detect any suspicious signs of abnormalities within the lungs.

All adult imaging studies at Harrington are read by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center radiologists.

Lung scans are categorized as RAD 1-4, with 1 being negative and 4 being highly suspicious with additional testings recommended.

Most insurances are covering this early detection screening test. Please consult with your insurance company and your doctor’s office for additional information.

Where Can I Get the Test Done?

Harrington offers CT scan at two locations convenient to our community — Harrington Hospital, at 100 South Street, Southbridge, and Harrington HealthCare at Webster, at 340 Thompson Road, in Webster.

Massachusetts Smokers Helpline
1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669): Free telephone-based tobacco treatment counseling and services are available in English and Spanish, with translation for other languages. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the TTY line (1-800-833-1477).

QuitWorks
MTCP provides physicians and other health care professionals with the QuitWorks program, which allows them to refer their patients to free telephone counseling through the Massachusetts Smokers Helpline. QuitWorks was developed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in collaboration with all major health plans in Massachusetts.

MassHealth and Commonwealth Care Quit Smoking Benefits
All FDA-approved quit-smoking medicines are covered, including:
Nicotine patches and nicotine gum
Bupropion (Zyban and Wellbutrin SR)
Varenicline (Chantix)

MassHealth Customer Service: 1-800-841-2900
Commonwealth Care Member Service Center: 1-877-623-6765

The total number of scans completed exceeded 2019 by 12%, a 25% increase in new patients, promoting “early screening leads to early detection.” The program received accreditation by the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer and was designated a Screening Center of Excellence.

Q1: 378 scans were completed, a 20% increase over the same period in 2018. Of the 378 scans, 98 were new patients. Eighteen patients were classified as 4’s, indicating findings that were suspicious of cancer.

Q2: 329 patients were scanned, an 11% increase over FY19Q2. There were 79 new patients to the program. 222 patients received diagnostic screenings: twenty-eight were classified as 4s.

Q3: 306 patients were scanned and 39 were new patients to the program. 232 diagnostic screening were performed, a 27% increase over the same period in 2019. Thirty-five patients were classified as 4s.

Q4: 423 scans were completed, a 26% increase over FY19Q4. There were 109 new patients to the program which represented a 27% increase over last year. 299 patients received diagnostic screenings: thirty-five were classified as 4s, indicating findings that were suspicious of cancer.

The total number of scans completed exceeded 2018 by 20%, a 15% increase in new patients, promoting “early screening leads to early detection.”  The program received accreditation by the American College of Radiologists and was again designated a screening Center of Excellence by the Lung Cancer Alliance.

Q1: 316 scans were completed, a 32% increase over the same period in 2017. Of the 316 scans, 113 were new patients. Thirteen patients were classified as 4’s, indicating findings that were suspicious of cancer.

Q2: 297 patients were scanned,  a 19% increase over FY18Q2.  There were 100 new patients to the program, which represented a 29% increase over last year.  Thirty-seven patients received diagnostic screenings: Nine were classified as 4s.

Q3 & Q4 saw a total of 667 total scans, 202 of which were new patients.  41 were classified as 4’s, indicating findings that were suspicious of cancer

Q2: 282 lung cancer screening scans were completed, a 20% increase from 2017. Ninety-two were new to our program. Seventeen patients were classified as 4’s, suspicious of lung cancer. Of the 17 cases, two were positive for cancer, eight were recommended for immediate further diagnostic tests or specialists (Pet scan, biopsy &/or thoracic consult). The remaining seven patients are recommended to have a repeat screening scan in three months.

Q3 & Q4: 296 scans were completed. Of these, 92 patients were new to our program. Fifteen patients were newly classified as 4’s-suspicious of cancer. One patient was diagnosed as positive, five patients were recommended for further diagnostic testing and/or thoracic consult. The remaining nine patients are recommended to have a repeat scan in 3-6 months. There were also 34 incidental findings that were referred to the ordering provider.

From January 1 to September 30, 2017, Harrington performed 597 total scans for patients who were at-risk for lung cancer.

492 scans were Rad 1 and Rad 2. Fifty-six scans were Rad 3 and 49 scans were RAD 4.

The RAD 4 scans are further broken down: 4A, 4B and 4X, each indicative of a solid nodule increasing in size with potential new growth and increased suspicion of malignancy.

Harrington detected nine RAD 4X scans that were recommended for further testing, treatment or surgery.