Oncologists Are Begging Women Over 50 To Get This One Test-and Many Are Skipping It
Pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness are ubiquitous these days. They're especially prominent in May (around Mother's Day) and in October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month), and this awareness can remind women over 50 that it's time to schedule their annual mammogram, which is recommended starting at age 40 for people with an average risk for breast cancer and sooner for people with factors like a genetic history. Oncologists aren't complaining about the emphasis on breast cancer awareness-mammograms are vital.
"Breast cancer screenings and mammograms have been part of the cultural conversation around women's health for decades," Dr. Rahul Gosain, MD, MBA, the co-host of The Oncology Brothers, tells Parade. "That mainstream visibility has saved many lives, but it's also created a blind spot. Women over 50 face meaningful risk from a range of other cancers, and many of those screening tools are just as effective, just as accessible and far less utilized."
Another oncologist echoes these sentiments-it's vital for women, especially those over 50, to understand their risk for other cancer forms so that they can get screened.
"Women are also at risk for other cancers, such as colon and pancreatic," states Dr. Daniel J. Boffa, MD, a professor of thoracic surgery at Yale School of Medicine. "If you think about all of the women who lose their battle with cancer each year, two-thirds are from cancers other than breast cancer."
One simple screen that takes less than 30 minutes to complete can detect one form of cancer and other health issues. But oncologists say that many women over 50 don't know they qualify for it. Below, oncologists reveal why they're begging women over 50 to get this one test if they're eligible.
The One Test Oncologists Are Begging Women Over 50 To Get
Oncologists want women over 50 to discuss a low-dose CT scan with their doctors. The United States Preventive Services Task Force currently recommends that any adult aged 50 to 80 years who has a 20-pack-year smoking history (roughly equivalent to one pack a day for 20 years), currently smokes or has quit within the last 15 years.
"The screening guidelines may change, so we recommend that patients who are 50 or older, who smoked in the past or are still smoking, ask their primary care clinician about screening," Dr. Boffa tells Parade.
He adds that a low-dose CT scan is a radiology test. It takes images of "everything inside your chest, from the tops of your shoulders, to just above your belly button." It can detect abnormalities in the lungs, including cancers or pre-cancerous growths. But Dr. Boffa says it can even detect changes in the heart, such as artery hardening (atherosclerosis) and blood vessel enlargement, including aneurysms.
"The scan also commonly catches the top part of your abdomen and may pick up abnormal areas in the top of your liver and adrenal glands," he says. "It is called low dose because it uses less radiation than a normal CT scan, which is roughly the radiation you would be exposed to on a flight from New York to California and back, from being closer to the sun."
Dr. Gosain concurs-the low-dose CT scan does a lot with just a bit of radiation. He points out that lung cancer is actually the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. for men and women.
"It also kills more women each year than breast, ovarian and uterine cancers combined," he shares.
Dr. Richard Reitherman, MD, Ph.D., a board-certified radiologist and medical director of breast imaging at MemorialCare Breast Center at Orange Coast Medical Center, says the numbers show a clear message: Early detection of lung cancer through a CT scan can save lives. He points to data that LDCT screening reduces lung cancer-related mortality by 20%, and cancers caught at stage I have survival rates above 70%, compared to less than 10% for stage IV.
"This is like the benefit of screening mammography and reduction of mortality," he says.
For this reason, oncologists like Dr. Reitherman don't recommend waiting to notice lung cancer symptoms, like a chronic cough or trouble breathing. Instead, women over 50 should ask their doctors about a low-dose CT scan.
Related: Oncologists Are Begging People To Stop Using This Common Cleaning Product
Are There Risks to a Low-Dose CT Scan?
"The risks are real but manageable, and they're worth understanding so they don't become a reason to avoid screening," Dr. Gosain says, noting that the main risks of a low-dose CT scan are:
- False positives, like a nodule caused by an old scar or healed infection, that require additional imaging (and it winds up not being cancerous)
- Limited radiation exposure ("The risk of the scan itself causing cancer is minimal, and for anyone who qualifies for screening, the benefit of early detection vastly outweighs it," he says.)
- Anxiety from the test
"The key is getting screened at an accredited facility with a shared decision-making conversation with your doctor, so you go in with clear expectations about what a positive result does and doesn't mean," Dr. Gosain explains.
Related: The Popular Habit Oncologists Say Raises Cancer Risk More Than People Realize
What To Expect During a Low-Dose CT Scan
A low-dose CT scan is pretty low maintenance. Dr. Reitherman says you can expect:
- Not to need contrast (You won't need an IV or to take a tablet)
- Not to prepare-no fasting
- No sedation or anesthesia
- A 10-minute procedure, including getting on and off a table
"Before the scan, you'll be asked to remove metal objects like watches and jewelry, as these can interfere with image quality," Dr. Gosain says. "Comfortable, loose clothing is suggested as you may be asked to change into a gown, but you more likely won't need to. You can eat and drink normally beforehand and take all your regular medications as usual."
Low-Dose CT Scan Results
Dr. Reitherman shares that you'll get your low-dose CT scan results via MyChart, mail or email. You'll get recommendations for follow-up needs. The results will say:
- Repeat the scan in one year
- Repeat the scan in six months
- Consult your doctor for further testing needed.
Dr. Boffa stresses that who you consult matters. He suggests speaking with a lung cancer surgeon, pulmonologist or another member of the lung cancer screening program team.
"It is very important to review results with someone who is a part of a lung cancer screening program," he says. "We breathe in a lot of things that can cause changes in our lungs, so it is not surprising to find abnormalities on the CT scan, but most of the abnormalities are not cancer. Having experts from a screening program review the scan and discuss the findings is key."
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Sources:
- Dr. Rahul Gosain, MD, MBA, the co-host of The Oncology Brothers
- Dr. Daniel J. Boffa, MD, a professor of thoracic surgery at Yale School of Medicine
- Dr. Richard Reitherman, MD, Ph.D., a board-certified radiologist and medical director of breast imaging at MemorialCare Breast Center at Orange Coast Medical Center
- Lung Cancer Statistics. CDC.
- Lung Cancer: Screening. USPSTF.
- Lung Cancer Screening. Delaware Journal of Public Health.
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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 7:50 AM.