Northwestern Medicine to screen more than 300 firefighters for lung cancer in November

CT scan machine

CHICAGO – November 2, 2026 – Northwestern Medicine will screen more than 300 firefighters from Chicago and DeKalb, Illinois, for lung cancer through its innovative Lung Health Center at the Canning Thoracic Institute, continuing efforts to detect cancer earlier in populations at increased risk. The initiative will take place in November for Lung Cancer Awareness Month and aligns with Northwestern Medicine's broader mission to expand access to lung cancer screening and identify cancers before symptoms appear.

Firefighters face unique occupational exposures that can increase their risk for lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. During firefighting operations, they may encounter smoke, diesel exhaust, asbestos, benzene, silica and other cancer-causing substances released during fires. Because lung cancer often develops silently and symptoms frequently do not appear until the disease has reached an advanced stage, early screening is critical.

"Lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer in the United States, affecting both smokers and non-smokers, and yet we continue to wait for symptoms before many people receive a diagnosis," said Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. "By bringing screening directly to firefighters, we're taking a proactive approach to finding cancer earlier, when it is most treatable and potentially curable.”

CT scan with firefighter

Research reveals major gaps in current lung cancer screening guidelines

Northwestern Medicine launched the Lung Health Center in November 2025 after their research revealed significant gaps in current federal lung cancer screening guidelines. In a study published in JAMA Network Open, Northwestern Medicine investigators found that only 35% of patients treated for lung cancer would have qualified for screening under current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines. Nearly two-thirds of patients who would not have qualified were women or people who had never smoked.

The Lung Health Center was created to evaluate a new approach: universal age-based screening, similar to breast and colon cancer screening programs. The center's ongoing research project aims to screen 10,000 individuals over five years, regardless of whether they meet traditional CT screening criteria.

Early findings show promise, including cancers detected in never-smokers

In its first year, the Lung Health Center screened nearly 1,000 participants and produced promising results:

-              The average participant age was 56.

-              Forty percent had a smoking history but did not meet current USPSTF screening criteria.

-              More than half (54%) had lung nodules or other findings that placed them at elevated risk and warranted ongoing surveillance.

-              Six patients were diagnosed with early-stage cancers and successfully treated.

-              Among those diagnoses were two patients with stage 1 lung cancer who had never smoked.

Northwestern Medicine researchers are advocating for expanded lung cancer screening guidelines that would offer screening to adults ages 40 to 85, regardless of smoking history. Researchers estimate that an age-based approach could detect 94% of lung cancers and prevent more than 26,000 additional deaths annually.

"We successfully moved to universal age-based screening for breast and colon cancer, and lung cancer deserves the same attention," Bharat said. "A simple low-dose CT scan has the potential to save thousands of lives each year."

Lung cancer kills more Americans than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined, accounting for nearly one in five cancer deaths. Yet nearly 80% of lung cancers are still diagnosed at advanced stages, largely because symptoms often do not appear until the disease has progressed.

Lung Health Center team and Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2

Firefighter initiative targets occupational cancer risks

The firefighter screening initiative reflects Northwestern Medicine's commitment to identifying individuals at risk before symptoms develop and advancing research that could ultimately reshape national screening guidelines.

"Occupational cancer in the fire service reflects cumulative exposure across our entire career, not a single incident. For decades, firefighters have worn PFAS-containing turnout gear. In the firehouse, they have also been exposed to diesel exhaust and to off-gassing from contaminated gear stored near living quarters. Illinois’ 2027 prohibition on selling PFAS-containing gear to fire departments is an important step, but it doesn't undo the exposures our members have already accumulated. We’re grateful to Northwestern Medicine for bringing low-dose CT screening directly to our members, which makes earlier detection possible when lung cancer is most treatable,” said Erik Steinmetz, firefighter for the Chicago Fire Department and president of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2.

“Firefighters understand better than most people that not every risk is visible. Lung cancer can develop long before symptoms appear, which is why proactive screening is so important. We’re grateful to partner with Northwestern Medicine on an initiative that helps protect firefighters and reinforces the importance of early detection for everyone at increased risk,” said Luke Howieson, fire chief for the City of DeKalb Fire Department.

Lung Health Center

To schedule an appointment

Patients can access the Lung Health Center through a simple process beginning with a phone consultation. Anyone over the age of 21 is eligible to receive a free consultation, with particular emphasis on those over 40 or with risk factors.

“Patients shouldn’t have to navigate this process alone, and we strive to make it as simple and convenient as possible,” said Abbey Roepke, certified nurse practitioner with the Lung Health Center. “From the first phone call to delivering results, our team coordinates every step. Thanks to insurance coverage and Canning’s philanthropic support, we’re able to help ensure eligible patients have access to this potentially life-saving screening."

The Lung Health Center also includes a research component where participants contribute de-identified data to help establish new screening guidelines. The center incorporates artificial intelligence to provide rapid, highly sensitive analysis of results, with the goal of delivering comprehensive health insights within seconds of scanning.

For more information or to schedule a screening consultation, call 312.695.1800 and mention the Lung Health Center, or email lunghealthcenter@nm.org.

The pulmonology and lung surgery program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital is proud to be the highest-ranked in Illinois for 15 straight years and No. 4 in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report, 2026 – 2027. For more information, visit nm.org.