LUCAS to offer lung cancer screening in Salem, Jane Lew, Franklin and Buckhannon

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – LUCAS, a first-of-its-kind, state-of-the-art mobile lung cancer screening unit, will visit Harrison, Lewis, Pendleton and Upshur counties offering low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans.

A service of WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals and the WVU Cancer Institute, LUCAS will be at:

• WVU Medicine Salem Family Healthcare from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 1. For an appointment, call 304-782-2000, option 3.
• Family Medical Clinic of Jane Lew from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 2. For an appointment, call 304-884-7880.
• Pendleton Community Care, Inc. of Franklin from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 3. For an appointment, call 304-358-2355.
• Community Care of Buckhannon from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 4. For an appointment, call 304-473-5600, ext. 2903.

The lung cancer screenings are billed 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. Appointments must be made 14 or more days in advance of the visit to allow time for insurance pre-authorizations.

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.

For information on LUCAS, see WVUCancer.org/LUCAS.