Lung Cancer Screening

Overview

Lung cancer screening is a process that’s used to detect the presence of lung cancer in otherwise healthy people with a high risk of lung cancer. It is recommended for older adults who are longtime smokers and who don’t have any signs or symptoms of lung cancer. Doctors use a low-dose computerized tomography (LDCT) scan of the lungs to look for lung cancer.

Why it’s done

The goal of lung cancer screening is to detect lung cancer at a very early stage when it’s more likely to be cured. By the time lung cancer signs and symptoms develop, the cancer is usually too advanced for curative treatment. According to studies, lung cancer screening reduces the risk of dying of lung cancer.

Who should consider screening

Lung cancer screening is usually reserved for people with the greatest risk of lung cancer, including:

  • Adults who are current or former smokers. Lung cancer screening is offered to smokers and former smokers who are 55 and older with a history of smoking for 30 pack years or longer.
  • People with a history of lung cancer. If you were treated for lung cancer more than five years ago, you may consider lung cancer screening.
  • People with other risk factors for lung cancer: like family history of lung cancer and those who have been exposed to asbestos at work.

Risks

  • Being exposed to a low level of radiation. The amount of radiation you’re exposed to during an LDCT is much less than that of a standard CT scan. It’s equal to about half the radiation you’re exposed to naturally from the environment in a year.
  • Finding other health problems. People who smoke for a long time have an increased risk of other health problems, including lung and heart conditions that may be detected on a lung CT scan.

How you prepare

  • Inform your doctor if you have a respiratory tract infection. If you currently have signs and symptoms of a respiratory tract infection or if you recently recovered from an infection, your doctor may recommend delaying your screening until your symptoms improved. Respiratory infections can cause abnormalities on CT scans that might require additional scans or tests to investigate.

What you can expect

During lung cancer screening

You’ll be asked to lie very still as the table slides through the center of a large machine that creates the images of your lungs. When the machine is ready to start the scan, you may be asked to hold your breath briefly to create a clear picture of your lungs.

Results

Examples of lung cancer screening results include:

  • No abnormalities discovered. If no abnormalities are discovered on your lung cancer screening test, your doctor may recommend continuing annual scans.
  • Lung nodules. Lung cancer may appear as a small spot in the lungs. Unfortunately, many other lung conditions look the same, including scars from lung infections and noncancerous growths. Smaller nodules are monitored by serial imaging based on their size. A large nodule is more likely to be cancerous needing additional testing, such as a biopsy or a positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
  • Other health problems. Your lung cancer screening test may detect other lung and heart problems that are common in people who have smoked for a long time, such as emphysema and hardening of the arteries in the heart.