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Honoring Veterans: St. Luke's Hospital Offers Free Lung Cancer Risk Assessments

St. Louis area veterans are invited to call November 10 through 14 for a free lung cancer risk assessment.

Chesterfield, Mo., November 7, 2014 - Veterans Day is Tuesday, November 11, and for the entire week, November 10 through 14 , the St. Luke's Hospital Lung Cancer Screening Program invites St. Louis area veterans to call for a free lung cancer risk assessment and to learn about the risks and benefits of screening. The telephone number to call is 314-205-6055 .

More people in the United States die from lung cancer than from any other type of cancer. Unfortunately, veterans have a 25 to 50 percent higher risk for lung cancer than civilian populations because of higher smoking rates and exposure to other known carcinogens during active duty.

For those who meet the screening criteria, a limited number of free low-dose CT scans are available at St. Luke's locations in St. Louis and St. Charles counties. Lung cancer screening with low-dose CT scans is valuable for those who are at high risk of developing the disease. Improved detection of lung cancer at earlier stages, when lung cancer is much more easily treated, is the key to improved survival rates. Screening has been shown to reduce deaths from lung cancer by 20 percent.

St. Luke's Lung Cancer Screening Program is designated as a Screening Center of Excellence by Lung Cancer Alliance, an organization dedicated to saving lives and advancing research by empowering those living with and at risk for lung cancer. St. Luke's is partnering with Lung Cancer Alliance, the Vietnam Veterans of America, American Veterans and Military Officers Association of America in this veterans' lung health initiative.

To learn more about St. Luke's Lung Cancer Screening Program, visit stlukes-stl.com or call 314-205-6055.

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