I wanted to share so our readers or their family and friends that need this undergo this test.
By Amy Orciari Herman
Just one in eight U.S. adults who meet U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) criteria for lung cancer screening actually receive it, according to findings in MMWR.
In 2013, the USPSTF recommended annual screening with low-dose computed tomography for adults aged 55–80 with a 30-pack-year history of smoking who were current smokers or had quit within the past 15 years.
Now, CDC researchers have assessed screening prevalence using data on over 85,000 adults in 10 states who completed the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey in 2017. Overall, 12.7% met criteria for lung cancer screening. Of these, just 12.5% reported getting screened in the past year. Of note, 8% of smokers who did not meet USPSTF criteria underwent screening.
The authors conclude, “Efforts to educate health care providers regarding the benefits of lung cancer screening and to provide decision support tools might increase appropriate and timely lung cancer screening.” They also note that avoiding inappropriate screening “could reduce the potential for harms such as overdiagnosis and overtreatment.”
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