Lung Cancer Screening: A Missed Opportunity?
A recent report by the American Cancer Society (ACS) reveals a concerning statistic: only 1 in 5 eligible U.S. adults underwent lung cancer screening in 2024. This finding highlights a significant gap in cancer prevention efforts, as lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.
Dr. Priti Bandi, the lead author of the report and scientific director of cancer risk factors and screening surveillance research for the ACS, expressed disappointment over the low screening uptake. She emphasized the potential for early detection to save lives, stating that three times more lung cancer deaths could be prevented if everyone eligible were screened annually.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual lung cancer screening for adults aged 50 to 80 with a 20-pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. However, the ACS report reveals that only 18.7% of eligible individuals reported being up to date with lung cancer screening.
The implications of this low screening rate are significant. The report estimates that if screening increased to 100%, an estimated 62,110 lung cancer deaths could be prevented over five years, and 872,270 life-years could be gained. In contrast, at current screening levels, only a quarter of these potential gains are realized.
Furthermore, the researchers suggest that expanding screening eligibility to include ever-smoking individuals between the ages of 50 and 60 could lead to even greater benefits. If these individuals were to achieve 100% screening compliance, an estimated 29,690 additional deaths could be avoided, and 482,410 additional life-years could be gained.
Dr. Bandi emphasizes the need to raise screening numbers and expand eligibility criteria to save lives. She believes that increasing access to lung cancer screening could significantly reduce the number of lung cancer-related deaths in the U.S.
For more information and the full report, visit: https://www.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2025.19798
