Over the years, little progress has been made in treating lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women.

Typically, lung cancer is discovered only after a person develops symptoms, such as pain, a chronic cough or coughing up blood. Most of those people will be dead within a year.

But a new lung cancer screening method is a game changer, according to Dr. M. Sitki Copur, medical director of oncology at the St. Francis Cancer Treatment Center.

The innovation is called low-dose computed tomography. The abbreviation for computed tomography is CT.

It has been available since November at CHI Health St. Francis.

Not only does the screening method reduce lung cancer mortality, but it is quick and reasonably priced. The scan itself takes less than a minute, with the entire appointment lasting about 30 minutes.

If you meet the criteria, the low-dose CT screening is covered by Medicare and most private health insurance.

The benefits of lung cancer screening, Copur said, make it comparable to other screening tests such as mammograms, colonoscopy and pap smears.