University of Tennessee Medical Center Launches Mobile Cancer Screening Units Across Tennessee

Strategic Insights -

The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) is launching two groundbreaking mobile cancer screening units across the state, aiming to increase access to life-saving care for rural and underserved communities. A 45-foot mobile CT lung cancer screening unit will deploy to 21 counties, providing low-dose CT scans, smoking cessation support, and early detection tools. The existing Mobile Mammography program is also expanding with a second state-of-the-art mobile mammography unit, doubling its impact and reaching thousands more women annually.

Key Takeaways:

  • A 45-foot mobile CT lung cancer screening unit will be deployed across Tennessee this fall, targeting areas with high smoking rates and lung cancer death rates.
  • The unit will provide low-dose CT scans, on-site smoking cessation support, and access to early detection tools to rural and underserved communities.
  • The University of Tennessee Medical Center's Mobile Mammography program is expanding with a second state-of-the-art mobile mammography unit, doubling its impact and reaching thousands of additional women annually.
  • The program has already reached capacity, screening more than 4,500 women per year, with many diagnosed at Stage 0 or Stage 1.
  • A $2.3 million federal grant and a $5.4 million Rural Health Resiliency grant from the State of Tennessee and Tennessee Department of Health are funding the initiatives.
  • The lung screening mobile unit is expected to launch this fall, while the new breast screening mobile unit will launch in early 2026.
  • Dr. Keith Gray, President and CEO of UT Medical Center, stated that these mobile units improve access and deliver care to those who need it most, emphasizing the importance of timely screenings in saving lives.
  • Dr. Sean Jordan, Division Chief, Thoracic Surgery and Director of Lung Cancer Screening at UT Medical Center, noted that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in Tennessee, largely due to delayed diagnoses, and emphasized the goal of detecting lung cancer earlier, when treatment is most effective.

Statistics:

  • The 45-foot mobile CT lung cancer screening unit will visit 21 counties across the region.
  • More than 30% of adults in Hancock County exceed the state's adult smoking rate.
  • The lung cancer incidence rate in Hancock County is more than triple the national average.
  • The Mobile Mammography program has already screened over 4,500 women per year.
  • A second mobile mammography unit will double the program's impact and reach thousands more women annually.

Sources:

  • University of Tennessee Medical Center (Copyright 2017 Contify.com)
  • Dr. Keith Gray, President and CEO of UT Medical Center
  • Dr. Sean Jordan, Division Chief, Thoracic Surgery and Director of Lung Cancer Screening at UT Medical Center
  • U.S. Representative Tim Burchett
  • USDA
  • Tennessee Department of Health
  • State of Tennessee