Jean Vander Pyl, the voice of Wilma on "The Flintstones" died of lung cancer in 1999. Her son later said, "Everybody on 'The Flintstones' smoked and all of them ended up dying of smoking-related diseases. ... That little cute laugh that Betty and Wilma did with their mouths closed. They came up with that because, when they laughed normally, being smokers, they coughed."

Today, the outcome for former smokers and current smokers of cigarettes and vapes can be very different — if they opt for early screening.

Unfortunately, fewer than 6% of those eligible for screening ever get it, and only 16% of lung cancer patients are diagnosed at an early stage.

That's a shame, because according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North American, patients whose lung cancer is caught early have a 20-year survival rate of 80%.

Should you be screened for lung cancer?

It's recommended that you get annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography if you're 50- to 80-years-old, have at least a 20 pack-year smoking history (you smoked a pack a day for 20 years, or two packs a day for 10 years), or it's 15 years or less since you quit smoking.

For those who meet the criteria, screening is covered by Medicare and most private insurance plans with no cost sharing, but make sure you check.

Free lung cancer screening is available in many locations; Google "(your location) free lung cancer screening" for information on how to access.