2023 Guidelines Update Eligibility for Lung Cancer Screening

THURSDAY, Nov. 9, 2023 (HealthDay News) — In a guideline update issued by the American Cancer Society and published online Nov. 1 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the authors recommend increasing eligibility for lung cancer screening (LCS).

Andrew M.D. Wolf, M.D., from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, and colleagues updated the American Cancer Society 2013 LCS guidelines for adults at high risk for lung cancer.

The Guideline Development Group judged that the evidence was moderate and sufficient to support a strong recommendation for screening those who meet eligibility criteria. In men and women aged 50 to 80 years, LCS is associated with a reduction in lung cancer deaths; inferential evidence supports screening for those older than 80 years in good health. For asymptomatic individuals aged 50 to 80 years, annual LCS with low-dose computed tomography is recommended for those who currently smoke or formerly smoked and have a ≥20 pack‐year smoking history. Individuals should engage in a shared decision-making discussion with a qualified health professional before the decision is made to initiate LCS. The number of years since quitting smoking is not an eligibility criterion for screening initiation or cessation among individuals who formerly smoked. Screening should not be undertaken by individuals with comorbid conditions that substantially limit life expectancy.

“This updated guideline continues a trend of expanding eligibility for lung cancer screening in a way that will result in many more deaths prevented by expanding the eligibility criteria for screening to detect lung cancer early,” lead author Robert Smith, M.D., from the American Cancer Society, said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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