A 68,000-pound tractor-trailer, affectionately known as LUCAS, is transforming the way lung cancer screening reaches rural West Virginia. Supported by the West Virginia University Cancer Institute, this fully mobile unit has been crisscrossing the state’s back roads since 2021, saving lives and challenging outdated healthcare models.
Lung cancer is the deadliest type of cancer in the US, claiming over 125,000 lives annually. Despite its life-saving potential, fewer than 20% of eligible individuals receive screening through CT scans. In West Virginia, this issue is further exacerbated by a high smoking rate and limited access to hospitals offering lung screening.
LUCAS’s director, Dr. Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, emphasizes the need for creative solutions in bringing healthcare to underserved communities. By visiting different counties each day, LUCAS brings mobile health care back to an era where house calls were common.
The unit has screened over 4,600 people and detected 55 cases of lung cancer, highlighting its effectiveness. To overcome skepticism from locals, the team built trust by meeting with providers, screening anyone regardless of insurance status, and returning to communities for follow-up scans.
LUCAS’s success story is a testament to the power of innovative healthcare solutions in addressing rural health disparities. As Dr. Hazard-Jenkins puts it, “There’s a profound sense of obligation to West Virginia and the people who live here.”
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/health/lung-cancer-screening-appalachia.html