American Cancer Society updates lung cancer screening guidelines

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The American Cancer Society is expanding lung cancer screening recommendations.

The expansion comes at the start of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, published Wednesday in the CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

The updated recommendations advise anyone between the ages of 50 and 80, who currently or previously smoked, should talk with a doctor about getting screened.

The previous guidance was for those between the ages of 55 and 74.

"By expanding the age range, several million U.S. Americans will be eligible to get a low dose CT to find lung cancer early," said Dr. Goetz Kloecker, director of Thoracic Medical Oncology at the UofL Health-Brown Cancer Center.

Lung cancer can be detected using a low-dose computed tomography, or CT scan, and is the only recommended screening test for the cancer. Early detection is associated with a reduced risk of dying from lung cancer, experts said.

The new recommendations also include those with "lower pack-year histories." The new guidance suggests screenings for those with a more than 20 pack per year history. Previous guidance recommended screenings for those who smoked 30 or more packs per year.

The criteria used to include only those who quit smoking within the past 15 years, but that criteria has been removed as part of the updated guidelines.

The updated recommendations will allow nearly 5 million more people to get screened for lung cancer each year, according to UofL Health. The American Cancer Society estimates the updated guidance will lead to 21% more lung cancer deaths prevented when compared to the current guidelines.

Lung cancer kills more people in the U.S. than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. Kentucky ranks first in the country for lung cancer cases.

To learn more about the updated recommendations, click here.