Confusion around lung cancer screening contributes to low screening rates
F或立即释放
凯拉·梅斯特
703-836-1746
kyra.meister@preventcancer.org
Alexandria, Va. – Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. despite effective screening for those at high risk—and significant confusion about who is eligible for lung cancer screening and what screening for the disease looks like may be to blame. This has resulted in shockingly low screening rates for a cancer that takes more than 127,000 lives in the U.S. every year.1
点击放大
The news comes from a recent report from the Prevent Cancer Foundation that found 65% of Americans 21 years of age and older say they are not up to date with one or more routine cancer screenings.2 Of all routine cancer screenings, lung cancer screening rates are the lowest— less than 6% of eligible people in the U.S. have been screened for lung cancer compared to 70% for breast cancer and 74% for colorectal cancer.
In the 2023 年早期检测调查, far more people self-reported they were eligible for lung cancer screening than actually met the screening criteria. This spotlighted the confusion surrounding what lung cancer screening is and the lack of understanding around lung cancer screening eligibility.
“Although anyone with lungs can get lung cancer, routine screening is only recommended for those with increased risk due to their smoking history. It’s important to know whether you meet the criteria to get screened,” said Heather Mackey, DNP, ANP-BC, AOCN®, Senior Director of Cancer Prevention and Early Detection at the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
Overall, results of the survey show a need for more clarity when describing who is eligible for lung cancer screenings and defining “pack-year history”3 to at-risk populations:
- Of those surveyed, more than 2 in 5 respondents were unable to identify the accurate description of a lung cancer screening.
- After exposure to a definition of pack-year history, 44% of those surveyed indicated the definition of a pack-year history is not easily understood.
A person’s pack-year history helps determine their eligibility for lung cancer screening—but a lack of understanding of how to calculate a pack-year history is leaving people eligible for screening in the dark, unable to benefit from the routine screening needed to find cancers in earlier, more treatable stages.
If you’re a heavy smoker or a former heavy smoker, talk with your health care provider about lung cancer screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening people who:
- Are ages 50-80
- Have a 20 pack-year history of smoking
- Still smoke or have quit within the past 15 years4
“Screening long-time smokers with annual low-dose chest CT significantly reduces cancer deaths, which is why it’s crucial we educate people about screening. We know that early detection equals better outcomes, and it’s our mission to make sure others know that, too,” Dr. Mackey said.
Information and resources on all cancer types studied in the 2023 Early Detection Survey—including information on relevant screenings—can be found at www.preventcancer.org/betteroutcomes. For more information about lung cancer and ways to reduce your risk, visit www.preventcancer.org/lung.
1American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2023. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2023.
2The Prevent Cancer Foundation commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,014 Americans 21 years of age and older. The margin of error is +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence interval of 95%. 本次调查研究的癌症筛查包括乳腺癌、宫颈癌、结直肠癌、口腔癌、肺癌、前列腺癌、皮肤癌和睾丸癌。
3A pack year is an estimate of how much a person has smoked over time. The number of packs of cigarettes smoked every day is multiplied by the number of years a person has smoked that amount. Example: a person who smoked 1 pack a day for 20 years has a history of 1 x 20 = 20 pack years.
4On November 1, 2023, the American Cancer Society released new lung cancer screening guidelines which indicate that the number of years since quitting smoking will no longer be relevant for starting or stopping yearly screening. Under the new guidance, anyone who smokes or has smoked and has at least a 20 pack-year history of smoking is considered to have a high risk for developing lung cancer and should be recommended for annual screening.
###
关于预防癌症基金会®
预防癌症基金会® 是 唯一的美国-基于 非盈利机构 独自 投入的 到 癌症 预防和早期 检测. 通过研究、教育、 外展 和倡导, 我们已经帮助无数人避免癌症诊断或及早发现癌症并得到成功治疗。 我们受到 一个可以预防癌症的世界的愿景， 可检测 并且可击败 对全部.
基金会正努力应对到 2035 年减少 40% 癌症死亡人数的挑战。为了实现这一目标， 我们是 承诺投资 $2000 万美元用于创新技术，以尽早发现癌症并推进 多-癌症筛查，$1000万美元用于扩大癌症筛查和疫苗接种覆盖面 医学上 服务不足的社区，并投入 $10 万美元用于教育公众了解筛查和疫苗接种选择。
如需了解更多信息，请访问 www.preventcancer.org.