ChristianaCare Encourages Eligible, Current and Former Smokers to Get Screened

(WILMINGTON, Del. – November 14, 2026)

National Lung Cancer Screening Day on Saturday, Nov. 14, is a reminder that early detection can save lives. In recognition of the observance, ChristianaCare is encouraging eligible adults with a history of smoking to receive an annual low-dose CT (LDCT) scan, a fast, painless screening that can detect lung cancer before symptoms appear at an earlier, more treatable stage.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in Delaware, across the United States and around the world. While smoking remains the leading risk factor and is linked to about 80% of lung cancer deaths, one of the disease’s greatest challenges is that it often causes no symptoms in its earliest stages. As a result, many people are not diagnosed until the cancer has advanced and become more difficult to treat.

“Screening gives us the opportunity to detect lung cancer at an earlier stage, when treatment is often more effective and outcomes can be significantly better,” said Thomas Schwaab, M.D., the Bank of America Endowed Medical Director of ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute. “Lung cancer screening saves lives. I encourage anyone who currently smokes or has smoked in the past and may be eligible to talk with their health care provider about getting screened.”

Who Should Be Screened?

To raise awareness about the importance of early detection and improve access to screening, ChristianaCare will offer low-dose CT lung cancer screenings on National Lung Cancer Screening Day from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at two locations:

• Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute in Newark.
• Wilmington Hospital.

Lung cancer screening is recommended for adults who:
• Are between ages 50 and 80.
• Currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.
• Have a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years.
• Haven’t received a CT scan of the lungs in the past 12 months.

Medicare, Medicaid and many private insurance plans cover the full cost of annual low-dose CT lung cancer screenings for eligible individuals as part of their preventive care benefits, although patients should check with their insurance provider for plan-specific coverage details. Individuals who are uninsured, underinsured or concerned about affordability should not let cost prevent them from seeking screening. ChristianaCare’s lung screening navigators can help patients understand available resources, explore options and determine eligibility.

To learn more, determine eligibility or schedule a screening at a convenient location and time, call 302-623-0552 or complete the online form at christianacare.org/lung-screenings to connect with a navigator.

Appointments are generally required; however, walk-ins will be accepted on National Lung Cancer Screening Day.

Maryland patients need a referral from their primary care provider or family physician before receiving a low-dose CT scan. To schedule a scan with a referral, call 410-392-7050.

Low-dose CT scans are quick, quiet, painless and noninvasive. The scan passes twice over the chest and back and takes less than 15 minutes to complete. Patients typically receive results through their referring provider within one to two weeks.

WATCH: PSA VIDEO VERSION OF PRESS RELEASE 

Need an expert source? Our Experts, ChristianaCare's expert database, can help you find the right source for your next news story. Request an interview ➜

About ChristianaCare

Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic health care organizations, centered on improving health outcomes, and innovating to make high-quality care more accessible, equitable and affordable. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, urgent care centers, four hospitals (1,440 beds), a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. It also includes the pioneering Gene Editing Institute and a 10-bed neighborhood hospital in West Grove, PA.

ChristianaCare is nationally recognized as a great place to work. ChristianaCare is rated by Newsweek as one of the World’s Best Hospitals and is continually ranked among the best in the U.S. in national quality and safety ratings. ChristianaCare is a nonprofit teaching health system with more than 260 residents and fellows. With its groundbreaking Center for Virtual Health and a focus on population health and value-based care, ChristianaCare is shaping the future of health care.

####