Organize the clinical picture
Keep pathology, cancer type and stage, scan reports, prior treatments, and your care team’s plan together. For non-small cell lung cancer, biomarker results and PD-L1 testing can be important context.
Understand your lung health.
Know what to ask next.
Bring your smoking history, scans, and symptoms together. Understand screening guidance and prepare for your next conversation.
Your lung health overview
Your history
- Age
- 58 years
- Smoking history
- 24 pack-years
- Quit smoking
- 2020
Your records
Previous chest scan
Report ready to review
Your next conversation
Should I discuss a low-dose CT scan with my clinician?
A QUESTION TO BRING TO YOUR CLINICIANScreening begins with your history.
Lung cancer screening uses a low-dose CT scan to look for cancer before symptoms appear. A few details help you and your clinician decide whether to discuss it.
A starting point
The USPSTF recommends yearly low-dose CT screening for adults ages 50–80 with at least 20 cigarette pack-years who currently smoke or stopped within 15 years. Overall health and ability to receive treatment also matter. Read the guidance.
Guidelines can differ
The American Cancer Society uses ages 50–80 and at least 20 pack-years, without a years-since-quitting cutoff. A clinician can explain the differences, benefits, and possible harms. Insurance coverage has its own requirements. Compare ACS guidance.
A new symptom, a known lung nodule, or a previous lung cancer diagnosis needs a clinical evaluation or follow-up plan. A routine screening checklist does not replace that care.
01
Bring your history together
Add previous tests, relevant history, and the changes you have noticed.
02
Understand the context
Explore guidance, see what is missing, and keep your questions visible.
03
Prepare for the conversation
Bring a useful history and focused questions to your care team.
The details
that matter.
Build a clear picture of your risk, previous tests, and current health. If something is uncertain, keep it marked as unknown.
A guide to the information to collect. You do not need to enter any personal information on this page.
01Your smoking timeline
Your age; whether you currently smoke cigarettes; starting and stopping ages; cigarettes per day during each period; and the date you last quit. Pack-years combine amount and duration. One pack per day for 20 years equals 20 pack-years. Other tobacco products and vaping should be recorded separately.
02Scans and previous findings
The dates and results of prior chest CTs or lung screening, any nodules, recommended follow-up, and whether follow-up happened. Add the original report when available.
03Your health and family history
Previous cancer, lung disease, family history of lung cancer, relevant exposures, and health conditions that could affect screening or treatment. Your preferences about testing and follow-up matter too.
04Symptoms and changes
When a cough, breathlessness, chest discomfort, or unexplained weight change began; whether it is new or worsening; and what makes it better or worse. Symptoms should be reviewed clinically, even if you do not meet routine screening criteria.
Symptom journalTHIS WEEK
Today · 8:30 am
Breathlessness
After a longer walk · settled with rest
Yesterday · 6:15 pm
Energy
More tired than usual in the evening
Monday · 9:00 am
Cough
Noted when it started and how often
Dates, details, and the impact on your day.
Notice changes.
Keep the context.
A symptom is easier to discuss when you can describe when it started, how often it happens, and what changed. Keep a record that goes beyond “I haven’t felt right.”
- Cough, breathing, and chest discomfort
- Energy, appetite, and weight changes
- Timing, severity, activity, and medicines
Already diagnosed?
Your context matters.
If you already have a diagnosis, your questions change. Bring the details of your cancer and treatment together so research stays relevant to your situation.
Understand treatment paths
Explore how surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies may fit different situations. Use your reports to prepare specific questions about benefits, side effects, and the goals of treatment.
Explore clinical trials
Understand study purpose, phase, location, and participation requirements. Cancer type, stage, biomarkers, previous treatments, and general health can affect eligibility. The study team makes the final assessment.
Use what you learn to ask more focused questions and make decisions with your care team.
NCI: lung cancer treatmentA few common
questions.
Can MyHealthLM tell me whether I qualify for screening?
It can help organize the history a clinician needs and explain published guidance. A clinician should confirm whether screening is appropriate, including the potential benefits, false alarms, radiation exposure, and follow-up. MyHealthLM does not determine eligibility.
What if I have never smoked?
Record your symptoms, family history, and exposures. Routine screening recommendations are based largely on cigarette smoking history; concerns outside those criteria still deserve an individual conversation with your clinician.
Is a screening result the same as a diagnosis?
No. An abnormal scan may need comparison with earlier images or additional evaluation. Keep the report and the recommended follow-up date together.
When should I seek urgent help?
New or worsening symptoms should be assessed by a clinician. Severe trouble breathing, major chest pain, or a medical emergency needs immediate care. In the U.S., call 911 rather than waiting for an app response.
The sources
behind the context.
U.S. guidance and patient education.
Reviewed for this draft: November 2026.
Recommendations can change. A clinician should confirm which guidance applies to your situation.
Your lung health.
A more informed next step.
Bring your history, questions, and next steps together.
Start my health story