Testing for Lung Disease: Screening Options and Next Steps

2008 Estimated U.S. Deaths –
Source: The Centers for Disease Control

• Lung & bronchus cancer: 161,775
• COPD: 130,933
• Colon & rectum cancer: 47, 967
• Breast cancer (men and women): 41, 293

How do we screen for these diseases?

Here’s a pop quiz. Quick: How do we screen for these diseases?
Colon cancer? Breast cancer? Lung Cancer? COPD?

• Colon cancer – colonoscopy
• Breast cancer – mammogram and self-breast exam
• Lung cancer – chest x-ray or CT, pulmonary function testing, biopsy, and more
• COPD – pulmonary function testing

If you are already familiar with pulmonary function testing, good for you! If you’re not, and are wondering if you meet the screening criteria for COPD read on and see what you should know. My husband was once a heavy smoker. Due to my urging, he actually had a pulmonary function screen each year, and for a long time when he “blew the loop,” as he described the flow-volume loop graph that is produced by the test, his score was great. For a few years it was actually over 100% as expected. But – when his numbers dipped into the 80-90 percent range, oh boy, he started thinking seriously about quitting. You can’t argue with numbers, and eventually he did quit.

So, how do you know if you should have a pulmonary function screen? Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you 40 years old or older, currently smoke cigarettes or have smoked in the past?
• Are you 40 years old or older and have a history of breathing irritants in your home environment or work place?
• Do you sometimes have coughing fits or trouble breathing when exerting?
• Do you have frequent bouts of bronchitis?
• Do you cough up mucus or phlegm in the morning?
• Does asthma, bronchitis or emphysema run in your family?
• Do you sometimes have trouble keeping up with people your own age?

There are two main levels of pulmonary function testing: a pulmonary function screen (or spirometry), and a pulmonary function complete. To arrive at an accurate diagnosis of COPD, spirometry is usually sufficient.

Part II: What does it cost?

More on COPD:

Are You an Alpha? (A-1AD deficient)

COPD: A Little Treatment Helps a Lot