Skip to main content

Another Study Finds Lung Cancer Screening Saves Lives

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on June 11, 2024.

By Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, June 11, 2024 — Lung cancer patients who underwent screening were more apt to be diagnosed at earlier stages and have better outcomes than patients who were not screened, new research shows.

The findings — from a study of close to 58,000 patients diagnosed through the U.S. Veterans Health Administration — underscore the importance of early detection through screening.

Lung cancer is the No. 1 cancer killer worldwide.

Current recommendations urge annual screening for 50- to 80-year-olds with a history of smoking a pack a day or more for the last 20 years or two packs a day for the last 10.

Clinical trials have shown screening with computed tomography (CT) scans to be beneficial, but real-world data have been scarce.

This study of U.S. veterans gauged the impact of screening prior to a lung cancer diagnosis.

Researchers found that patients who were screened had higher rates of early stage cancer diagnoses than those who were not screened — 52% versus 27%.

Over five years, they also had lower rates of premature death from any cause (49.8% versus 72.1%) as well as death from cancer (41% versus 70.3%).

"It is incredible to witness how dedicated national efforts to increase lung cancer screening from the Lung Precision Oncology Program can lead to substantial improvements in lung cancer outcomes," said co-author Dr. Michael Green of the University of Michigan and the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

The findings were published June 10 in the journal Cancer.

Sources

  • Wiley, news release, June 10, 2024

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted June 2024

Read this next

Celebrity Diagnoses Underscore Rising Breast Cancer Rates in Young Women

MONDAY, June 9, 2025 — More young women in the United States are being diagnosed with breast cancer and several celebrities have helped raise awareness by sharing their...

Ex-White House Doctor Says Biden Should Have Had a Cognitive Test

MONDAY, June 9, 2025 — A former White House physician says former President Joe Biden should have had a cognitive test during his 2024 physical, given his age and the...

AI Can Boost Radiologists' Efficiency Without Sacrificing Accuracy

MONDAY, June 9, 2025 -- Artificial intelligence (AI) can boost radiologists’ ability to quickly and accurately assess people’s X-rays, a new study says. Some...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.