By Leslie Cantu
Lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer deaths in this country – and around the world, for that matter.
Scientists are working hard on new treatments. (We recently shared news of a breakthrough new treatment for small cell lung cancer).
As with other cancers, though, early detection is key.
Unfortunately, awareness that a lung cancer screening test exists is very low.
“We’ve got a screening test that works. It works as well, if not better, than breast and colorectal cancer screening in terms of mortality reduction. It’s one of the most life-saving things we have for a cancer that kills more people than either of those two combined,” says Dr. Gerard Silvestri, who worked with other Hollings researchers to publish a study looking at awareness of this screening test.
Lung cancer screening consists of a low-dose CT scan of the lungs. It’s a noninvasive, painless test and doesn’t require anesthesia. The scan can pick up on early-stage lung cancers, which can often be completely removed with surgery. Importantly, eligible patients should get a scan every year so that doctors can look for changes.
Across the nation, less than a fifth of those eligible for the test are getting it.
“Overall, the uptake of lung cancer screening writ large is somewhere between 16% and 20% – and that’s an optimistic estimate,” Silvestri said.
Who should get this screening test? If you or a loved one fits these criteria, talk to your health care provider about getting screened if you:
• Are between the ages of 50 and 80 and
• Have a 20-pack-year cigarette smoking history (one pack a day for 20 years; two packs a day for 10 years, etc.) and
• Currently smoke or have quit smoking within the last 15 years.
Sonawane K, Garg A, Toll BA, Deshmukh AA, Silvestri GA. Lung Cancer Screening Communication in the US, 2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(11):e2442811. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.42811
The research reported in this publication was supported by Hollings Cancer Center’s postdoctoral fellowship and the US National Institutes of Health under award number P30CA138313.The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
