Abstract
Lung cancer is the most common cause of death in both men and women. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual lung screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) chest for individuals aged 55-80 who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. We reviewed the electronic medical records of patients visiting our outpatient clinic over a period of one year. We included all eligible individuals according to USPSTF guidelines for LDCT to identify screening rates at our institution. All primary care physicians, including residents and attendings, were given a prepared questionnaire to understand their beliefs and concerns with the implementation of this program. A total of 13,500 patients visited the outpatient clinic and 1178 were eligible for LDCT. Forty-five percent (45%) of patients received LDCT screening, which was higher than the national average of 2%-5%. A total of 50 primary care providers were included in the survey. The majority of the providers were aware of the USPSTF guidelines and believed that patients with multiple comorbidities and insurance issues were barriers in initiating LDCT screening. Lung cancer screening is an important component in cancer preventive strategies. Widespread awareness among the primary care providers and the public is extremely necessary for improving the use of LDCT.
Highlights
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in both men and women in 2020, with about 135,000 deaths in the United States [1]
The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), a randomized controlled trial was among the initial studies that reported a 20% lung cancer-specific mortality and overall mortality reduction with annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) [3]
Our LCDT screening rate was higher than the national average of 2%-5%
Summary
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in both men and women in 2020, with about 135,000 deaths in the United States [1]. Studies have shown that only 15% of lung cancers are detected at an operable stage, resulting in overall poor survival [2]. Based on the results of this study, various societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), made recommendations for the screening of lung cancer using LDCT. The USPSTF published guidelines recommending LDCT in individuals between the ages of 55 and 80 years, with at least a 30-pack year history of smoking who either continue or have quit within the last 15 years. In 2020, USPSTF made grade B recommendations modifying the age of LDCT to 50-80 years with at least a 20-pack year history of smoking [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
