A draft recommendation statement, draft evidence review and draft modeling study from the US Preventive Services Task Force covers screening for lung cancer in those who do not have signs or symptoms. 

The USPSTF recommends annual screening via a low-dose computed tomography scan in people 50 to 80 years, at a high risk for lung cancer due to smoking history. This is a B grade recommendation, according to the bulletin from the task force.   

Screening is now recommended for people at high risk have smoked at least 20 pack-years over their lifetime and still smoke or have quit smoking within the last 15 years.  

Those aged 50 to 80 who currently smoke should talk to their doctor about whether they are high risk for lung cancer. 

If so, the benefits and harms of screening should be discussed to determine if it’s right for them.   

Additionally, the task force has made two changes that will nearly double the number of people eligible for lung cancer screening.

First, the task force recommends screening at age 50 rather than 55. 

Second, the recommendation reduces the pack-years of smoking history to qualify someone for screening, from 30 pack-years to 20. 

They added that the changes will be especially instrumental to help Africans Americans and women. Data shows that African Americans have a higher risk of lung cancer than white people. With these changes, more African American and female smokers will be eligible for life-saving screening. 

The USPSTF draft recommendation statement and evidence review are available for public comment on the USPSTF website at: www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org. 

Comments may be submitted until August 3, 2020. 


Credit: By MD /alert Staff