Screening and Early Detection of Lung Cancer

DuyKhanh P. Ceppa, MD, Vignesh Raman, MD, MHS, Tina D. Tailor, MD, Betty C. Tong, MD, MS, MHS

Key Points

  • Historical studies of lung cancer screening utilized plain chest radiography (CXR) and sputum analysis, neither of which were effective in reducing lung cancer mortality.
  • Contemporary studies of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) have demonstrated significant reduction in lung cancer mortality
  • There are sex-based differences in mortality reduction when using LDCT lung cancer screening.
  • Lung cancer screening programs potentiate cancer-related racial and socioeconomic disparities.
  • Barriers exist in recruitment and retention of patients qualified for LDCT lung cancer screening
  • Adjuncts to radiographic screening, including biomarkers and radiomic analysis of screen-detected lesions, are currently being studied.

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