RALEIGH, N.C. - s4story -- In recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the non-profit Lung Cancer Initiative (LCI) is urging high-risk individuals to get screened for lung cancer. Through its Screening Saves program, LCI is partnering with healthcare providers in North Carolina to increase awareness and connect eligible residents to potentially life-saving lung screenings.

Throughout 2025, LCI piloted Screening Saves with targeted outreach in eight eastern N.C. counties—Pitt, Hertford, Halifax, Martin, Northampton, Bertie, Beaufort and Chowan—where barriers to screening access are most significant. Building on the success and lessons learned from this pilot, the program is expanding to improve screening access in communities statewide. Early detection through lung cancer screening can significantly improve survival rates, and LCI is helping eligible individuals access critical screenings throughout November and beyond.

North Carolina's lung cancer incidence rate of 62.1 per 100,000 people exceeds the national average of 52.8 per 100,000, according to the American Lung Association's State of Lung Cancer 2025 report. Yet only 19.2% of North Carolinians at high risk receive recommended screenings.

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"Our goal is to raise awareness of the importance of lung screening and connect high-risk individuals with more accessible resources that help to break down screening barriers in North Carolina communities," said Paige Humble, CEO, Lung Cancer Initiative. "Early detection is crucial—it enables more effective treatment and can significantly increase survival rates."

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., accounting for one in five cancer fatalities and claiming as many lives annually as breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers combined, according to the National Cancer Institute. In Eastern North Carolina, rates surpass both state and national averages.

"If lung cancer is caught at an early stage, the five-year survival rate is five times higher than when detected after it spreads," said Dr. Aundrea Oliver, thoracic surgeon and assistant professor at ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. "Low-dose CT screening can make the difference, and we want patients to feel empowered to discuss lung screening with their primary care providers."

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual lung screening for individuals who meet the following criteria:

• Ages 50-80 years old.
• Current smokers or quit within the past 15 years.
• Have a 20 pack-year smoking history, equivalent to smoking one pack daily for 20 years, or two packs daily for 10 years.

For information about screening centers and helpful advice for talking to your doctor, visit: www.ScreeningSavesLives.org.

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Lung Cancer Initiative is a leading nonprofit supporting lung cancer research and education, connecting patients, survivors, and families with the medical and research community. LCI's mission is to advance survivorship and provide support through research, education, and access programs. It has funded nearly $4 million in lung cancer research and assisted thousands of patients in accessing treatment and support following a lung cancer diagnosis.

LCI's Screening Saves supports screening centers and referring primary care providers in their efforts to increase awareness and access, especially in rural communities. Beyond community outreach and advocacy, LCI hosts educational sessions for healthcare providers and screening navigators across the Southeast.