This year, a first-of-its-kind mobile van rolled onto the streets of New York City to deliver cancer prevention to the homes of millions. The mobile lung cancer and health screening van removes the biggest barriers in lung cancer prevention-geography and complexity-by meeting people where they are for their care.
The van is powered by Weill Cornell Imaging at NewYork-Presbyterian, the Columbia University Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), and the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine, and made possible by a generous gift from the MacMillan Family Foundation.
Outfitted with a state-of-the-art low-dose CT (LDCT) scanner, the 40-foot mobile unit is one of the few in the nation and the very first in New York City to offer lung screenings through a fully operational van.
"Too often, geography, transportation, or confusion about where to go can prevent patients from getting screened," says Phoenix A Matthews, co-director of HICCC's Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) office. "We wanted to flip that model and bring the care to them."
Inside the van-one of the first in the nation to offer lung cancer screening-a state-of-the-art low-dose CT (LDCT) scanner can detect lung cancer in its early stages when it is more treatable. Photo courtesy of Weill Cornell Medicine.
"The initiative to lower lung cancer disparities through NYC's first mobile LDCT unit truly reflects the collaborative spirit of our cancer center," says Anil K. Rustgi, director of the HICCC. "By coming together with our partners at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, and with the tremendous support of our donors, it's a powerful example of what we can achieve when academia, medicine, philanthropy, and community outreach work in synergy."
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Yet fewer than 19% of eligible New Yorkers currently receive recommended screening. LDCT scans are the only approved test for early lung cancer detection, and they've been proven to reduce deaths by catching disease at more treatable stages.
It is currently only recommended for adults who are at high risk for developing the disease because of their smoking history and age.
The van doesn't stop at screening. While on board, NewYork-Presbyterian nurse practitioners will walk patients through their results, offer smoking cessation counseling, and connect them seamlessly to follow-up care close to them. The program proactively flags other health issues during the mobile health screening, like coronary calcium or emphysema, that show up in chest imaging, ultimately connecting patients with streamlined care navigation, smoking cessation support, and seamless referrals.
Stationed at federally qualified health centers and HICCC's community partner sites, the van is designed to reach neighborhoods where access to care is limited.
Columbia's COE office is using their rich network of community partners throughout HICCC's catchment area to connect the van to local health fairs, organizations, and faith-based events, weaving cancer prevention into the everyday life of the communities facing high burdens of lung cancer.
Beyond health and cancer screenings, the mobile lung cancer screening program offers a blueprint for reducing health inequities. By removing barriers to care, the initiative opens the door to earlier detection, better outcomes, and healthier futures across New York.
"We at Columbia are excited to join Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian in this important effort to expand access to lung cancer screening in our region," says Bryan Payne Stanifer, assistant professor of surgery at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and founding director of the lung cancer screening program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. "This is a win for all three institutions, but most importantly, it's a win for patients facing lung cancer," adds Stanifer, noting that the mobile unit uses the same advanced CT technology found at Columbia's imaging centers in Manhattan and Westchester.
The initiative will also generate valuable data to inform future research aimed at understanding how lung cancer risk and screening rates vary across New York City's different geographic and demographic neighborhoods. By revealing where the need is greatest-communities with the highest burden of disease and the lowest screening rates-researchers can develop more targeted outreach and interventions, like the mobile screening van, that bring early detection directly to the people who need it most.
"This van is about more than screening," says Matthews. "It's about trust, accessibility, and giving every community the chance to benefit from the very best in cancer prevention."
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Learn more about the van and make an appointment.
