(In)Appropriate Use of Computed Tomography for Lung Cancer Screening

Only 13% of patients who met all 2013 USPSTF screening eligibility criteria were screened.

In 2013, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended lung cancer screening by computed tomography (CT; NEJM JW Gen Med Feb 15 2014 and Ann Intern Med 2014; 160:330). The three criteria for screening — all of which were required for eligibility — were (1) age, 55 to 80; (2) ≥30 pack-year smoking history; and (3) current smoker, or nonsmoker who quit within 15 years. Researchers analyzed a 2019 national survey of ≈100,000 adults to assess the appropriate use of CT-based lung cancer screening.

The two key findings were as follows:

Among 3400 people who received CT scans for lung cancer screening, only 21% met all three eligibility criteria, and 20% met none of the criteria; the remaining people met only one or two criteria.
Among…

Reviewing Author

Thomas L. Schwenk, MD

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Thomas L. Schwenk, MD

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(In)Appropriate Use of Computed Tomography for Lung Cancer Screening

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