New Mobile Lung Cancer Screening Unit Launches to Improve Access to Care for New Yorkers

A state-of-the-art health screening van launched this month is bringing advanced imaging technology and health education directly to New Yorkers who are at the greatest risk of developing lung cancer. The initiative — a collaboration between Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian, the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine — is designed to make early lung cancer detection more accessible and equitable.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., affecting an estimated 227,000 people nationally in 2025. Low-dose CT scans can detect the disease at its earliest stages, before patients experience symptoms, but currently, only 19% of eligible New Yorkers receive recommended screenings.

The mobile lung cancer screening van seeks to address that gap by working to eliminate barriers like geography and health system complexity that may stymie patients from receiving preventative care. Equipped with the same CT scanning technology offered at Weill Cornell Medicine, Columbia and NewYork-Presbyterian imaging locations, the 40-foot, 44,000-pound van will travel around New York City’s five boroughs to offer lung cancer screenings where it is most convenient for patients. The program will also provide patients with streamlined care navigation, tobacco cessation support and seamless referrals.

A CT scanner inside a van

The unit is equipped with the same CT scanning technology offered at Weill Cornell Medicine, Columbia and NewYork-Presbyterian imaging locations.

“Our goal is to break down the systemic and logistical barriers that keep patients from receiving timely, high-quality care,” said program director Dr. Bradley Pua, an associate professor of radiology and member of the Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine, and chief of interventional radiology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “We’re taking the scanner to the streets—directly to the people who need it most.”

“Addressing the lung cancer burden in our communitiesis a top priority for both our cancer centers,” said Dr. A. Phoenix Matthews, professor of behavioral sciences at Columbia University School of Nursing and co-director, Community Outreach and Engagement Core at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “We are dedicated to improving the health of all New York City residents by providing access to high-quality screening, especially in resource-limited areas.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 17 at Weill Cornell Medicine will formally mark the van’s launch.

The van will be stationed near community-based Federally Qualified Health Centers, as well as other priority neighborhoods identified through an evidence-based approach that considers lung cancer incidence, and mortality and smoking rates. The van’s experts will partner with patients on care decisions and offer follow-up guidance for all findings—not just lung nodules, but also incidental conditions like coronary calcium.

 Eligibility for LDCT Screening includes:

  • Ages 50–80 (50–77 for Medicare)
  • Current or former smoker (quit within last 15 years)
  • At least 20 pack-years of smoking history (according to the American Cancer Society, a pack-year is equal to smoking 1 pack, or about 20 cigarettes, per day for a year. For example, a person could have a 20-pack year history by smoking 1 pack a day for 20 years, or by smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years).
  • No current symptoms of lung cancer

Screenings and consultations are typically fully covered by commercial insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, with no cost sharing to the patient.To schedule a telehealth consultation, call 646-962-LUNG (5864), or visit https://wcinyp.org/patients/radiology-consultation-services/lung-cancer-screening/mobile-ct-unit for more information and to see a list of upcoming mobile screening van locations.