The American Cancer Society (ACS) has recently made a significant change to its lung cancer screening recommendations. The organization now advises that individuals with a history of heavy cigarette smoking should undergo regular checks for lung cancer, even if they quit smoking many years ago. This new advice represents a departure from the ACS’ previous guidelines, which stated that former smokers no longer needed annual screenings after 15 years without smoking.
Dr. William Dahut, the chief scientific officer for the ACS, explained that the risk of developing lung cancer increases with age, particularly among the elderly population. Therefore, the previous advice may have resulted in low rates of screening and a false sense of security among former smokers. To address this issue, the ACS has broadened the criteria for screening in its updated guidelines.
Under the new recommendations, the ACS now suggests that current and former smokers aged 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history should undergo annual lung cancer screenings, regardless of when they quit smoking. This means that approximately 19.3 million people in the United States are now eligible for screening, compared to 14.3 million under the previous guidelines.
These revised guidelines are largely in line with recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force; however, there is still one notable difference regarding screening for individuals who quit smoking more than 15 years ago. While the ACS recommends ongoing screening for this group, the task force does not.
The reasons for the discrepancy are based on new evidence suggesting that the risk of developing lung cancer continues to rise as people age, even among those who have quit smoking for 15 or more years. This finding highlights the importance of regular screenings to detect potential cases of lung cancer early on, when treatment options are most effective.
Currently, only approximately 10% of eligible individuals in the US receive annual lung cancer screenings. By expanding the criteria for screening, the ACS hopes to increase awareness and encourage more people to undergo these potentially life-saving tests.
In conclusion, the American Cancer Society’s new guidelines emphasize the importance of ongoing lung cancer screenings for individuals with a history of heavy cigarette smoking, even if they quit smoking many years ago. By broadening the criteria for screening, the ACS aims to identify potential cases of lung cancer earlier, when treatment options are more effective. It is hoped that these updated guidelines will lead to increased rates of screening and ultimately improve outcomes for those at risk of developing this deadly disease.
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