MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – LUCAS, a first of its kind, state-of-the-art mobile lung cancer screening unit, will visit Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur and Preston counties offering low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans.
A service of WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals and the WVU Cancer Institute, LUCAS will be at:
- Community Care of Green Bank from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 16. For an appointment, call 304-456-5115.
- Valley Health Care in Elkins from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 17. For an appointment, call 304-636-0133, ext. 2510.
- WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital in Buckhannon from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 18. For an appointment, call 304-473-2305.
- Rowlesburg Clinic from 8 a.m. to noon on Dec. 19. For an appointment, call 304-454-2421.
They bill lung cancer screenings to private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare. Uninsured patients living in West Virginia who meet screening criteria can receive their lung cancer screening on LUCAS through the generosity of grant funding and donations. A physician’s order and prior authorization from insurance are required to get screened. Patients need to schedule appointments at least 14 days before the visit so that insurance pre-authorizations can be completed.
LUCAS, an acronym for Lung Cancer Screening, builds upon the success and infrastructure established by Bonnie’s Bus. In West Virginia, more people die of lung cancer than colorectal, prostate and breast cancer combined. LUCAS travels throughout West Virginia, especially in rural parts of the state with limited or no access to lung cancer screening.
Similar to mammography, regular lung cancer screening can detect cancer early, when it is easier to treat and cure. Both units are part of the WVU Cancer Institute Mobile Cancer Screening Program and work in collaboration with a statewide partnership of clinicians, public health professionals and other community leaders to reduce the number of deaths from breast and lung cancer in West Virginia.
For information on LUCAS, see WVUCancer.org/LUCAS.
