RRMC Health Talk: Lung cancer screening

According to the American Cancer Society, in 2023, there were about 238,340 new cases of lung cancer which affected men and women almost equally (117,550 men, 120,790 women). The rate of new lung cancer cases (incidence) during the past 48 years has decreased 42% from its peak in 1984 for men and 16% from its peak in 1998 for women. The number of deaths caused by lung cancer peaked at 159,292 in 2005 and has since decreased by 15% to 134,592 in 2021.

The decline in lung cancer mortality during the past decade is partly attributable to the development of a highly effective lung cancer screening process and partly related to markedly improved treatment options.

The current U.S. Preventive and Screening Task Force recommends lung cancer screening annually with low radiation dose non-contrast chest CT for people aged 50 to 80 who are either active smokers or have quit within 15 years and have the equivalent of smoking a pack a day for 20 years or more.

This recommendation is based on two large scale studies (one from the U.S. and one from a coalition of EU countries), both of which showed a 20% reduction in lung cancer mortality with screening (and somewhat larger reduction in women, even up to 30%).

The screening uses very low radiation dose, comparable to the annual background radiation we are all exposed to, takes only a few minutes, and is covered 100% by all insurances. Most importantly, it saves lives.

If a patient is found to have an abnormality on the screening test, further testing is done depending on the original abnormality’s nature. More than 95% of the people with an abnormality found on screening will only need one more imaging study, but for the minority of patients who will be found to have lung cancer, very effective and advanced treatment options are available to assure the best possible outcome.

In the past five to eight years, the screening protocol resulted in substantial improvement in lung cancer-related survival and cure rates. The three pulmonologists at Rutland Regional Medical Center have greatly improved access for screenings. And for those patients who have had an abnormal initial CAT scan, they will have a quick and effective follow-up and subsequent treatment plan.

We encourage everyone who meets the above-mentioned criteria for lung cancer screening to ask your primary care provider or pulmonologist about it.

My best advice for the month of November is: Don’t delay lung cancer screening, sign up if you are eligible.

Today’s Health Talk was written by Veronika Jedlovszky, M.D., medical director of pulmonology at Rutland Regional Medical Center.