Researchers Find Lack of Communication for Lung Cancer Screenings Among High-Risk Individuals

Routine lung cancer screening with low dose computed tomography (LDCT) could avert morality among high-risk individuals through early detection. Despite lung cancer screening (LCS) recommendations, the disease remains the leading cause of death in the US. To assess the gap of individuals diagnosed compared to individuals that received LCS, researchers conducted a cross-sectional study that evaluated communication for screenings by health care providers among individuals at high risk for lung cancer due to smoking status, demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characters.¹

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According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer accounts for approximately 1 in 5 if all cancer deaths. Additionally, the American Cancer Society, estimates about 234,580 new cases of lung cancer (116,310 in men and 118,270 in women) and about 125,070 deaths from lung cancer (65,790 in men and 59,280 in women) in 2024.²

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) current guidelines recommend adults aged 50 to 80 years who have a 20 pack-year smoking history, currently smoke, or have quit within the past 15 years to receive an annual screening for lung cancer with LDCT. The screenings can be completed once the individuals reaches 15 years smoke-free or develops a health issue that limits life expectancy or the ability to have curative lung surgery, according to the release.³ However, data from the American Lung Association (ALA) found that only 4.5% of LCS eligible individuals were up to date on screenings.¹

The study used data for individuals aged 50 to 80 years from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS)-6, conducted by the US National Cancer Institute. Individuals in the survey were asked to self-report their smoking status, sociodemographic, and clinical information. A total of 929 individuals who formerly smoked and 350 individuals who currently smoke were identified and included. Individuals with a smoking status were asked, “at any time in the past year, did a doctor or other health professional talk with you about having LDCT scan to check for lung cancer?” Individuals that responded, “I have never heard of this test” and “no”, were analyzed by smoking status, according to study authors.¹

The study authors noted that results showed that among the 929 individuals who formally smoked, 18.1% had never heard of LCS and 75.1% never discussed LCS with their health care provider. Among the 350 individuals that currently smoked, 13.5% had never heard of LCS and 71.1% did not discuss it with their health care provider.¹

In total, more than 80% of individuals in both smoking groups have neither heard of LCS nor discussed a screening with a clinician, regardless of their sex, race, ethnicity, educational attainment, household income, urbanicity vs rurality, health insurance status, and unmet social determinants. Additionally, more than 60% of individuals with a history of cancer or comorbid cancer did not discuss LCS with their health care providers, according to the release.¹

The findings suggest that less than 16% of high-risk lung cancer individuals have heard or discussed LCS with a health care provider and displayed a lack of advocacy for LCS across all sociodemographic and clinical subgroups.¹

“These findings are troubling because 13.1 million individuals meet the LCS eligibility criteria (ie, 20 pack-years and <15 years since quitting).⁴ Our data emphasize the need for increasing LCS communication in the US, specifically, increasing education and outreach to eligible individuals who can benefit from LCS,” said study authors in the study.¹

REFERENCES

1. Lung Cancer Screening Communication in the US, 2022. JAMA Network Open. November 4, 2024. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2825631?resultClick=24

2. Key Statistics for Lung Cancer. American Cancer Society. January 29, 2024. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html#:~:text=Lung%20cancer%20(both%20small%20cell,men%20and%2059%2C280%20in%20women)

3. Lung Cancer: Screening. U.S Preventive Services Task Force. March 9, 2021. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screening#:~:text=The%20USPSTF%20recommends%20annual%20screening,to%20have%20curative%20lung%20surgery