chest xray

Can a negative chest xray be somewhat reassuring that lung cancer is unlikely

[Giveypup]

No, x-rays can only pick up the larger lesions--8mm+.  You need a CAT scan, which you will have to pay for since insurance does not pay for lung CA screening  CAT scans.  Many malignancies are missed on x-rays only to be picked up later, on CT scan, often when the neoplasm has grown to unexciseable proportions.

Early findings (only to be found on CT scans) make Lung CA surviveable, more often than not.  I think that the statistics read something like 92% of early lung CA findings on CT scan are surviveable while 15% of x-ray findings of Lung are not surviveable.

Get your CAT scan--you cannot put a price on your piece of mind or health.