A new study finds just 18% of former and current smokers who are eligible for lung cancer CT scans are getting the tests.
Lung cancer screening saves lives, but most former and current smokers aren’t scheduling their yearly scans.
A new study finds fewer than 1 in 5 eligible people are getting the recommended low-dose CT.
Researchers analyzed CDC data from nearly 28,500 adults who were eligible for lung cancer screening in 2022. The results showed just 18% of them got a CT scan, but about 65% of the same people underwent breast or colon cancer screening.
The lead author says these findings suggest patients eligible for lung cancer screening are open to receiving preventive care but they may have difficulty understanding the requirements for this disease.
She says, “…Lung cancer screening eligibility criteria are more complex and include both age and multiple smoking history requirements.”
The American Cancer Society recommends annual lung cancer screening with low-dose CT for people aged 50 to 80 who smoke or used to smoke and have at least a 20 pack-year smoking history.
A pack-year is equal to smoking 1 pack or about 20 cigarettes per day for a year.
Source: Journal of the American Medical Association.
Author Affiliations: Massachusetts General Hospital
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