P2.11-23 Risk Perception Among a Lung Cancer Screening Population

Abstract

To make lung cancer screening feasible, populations with the highest risk of developing cancer need to be targeted. Furthermore, factors which motivate individuals to participate in lung cancer screening programs should be integrated into recruitment strategies. Among these motivators, an individual’s perception of their lung cancer risk is an important consideration. This paper analyzes factors associated with risk perception in subjects enrolled in the Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Study (PanCan), and assesses the relationship between subjects’ risk perception and actual calculated risk. The PanCan low-dose screening CT study recruited individuals from the general population who were current or former smokers age 50-75 having at least a 2% risk of developing lung cancer over 6 years as calculated by the PanCan model. Risk perception was captured at baseline with a 5-point Likert scale question asking the subject to assess their personal chances of being diagnosed with lung cancer compared with other smokers of the same age. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between risk factors and risk perception. Baseline risk variables in the model include demographics, smoking history, symptoms, medications, occupation, previous chest imaging, history of COPD, medical comorbidities, and family history of cancer. 2514 patients were included in the analysis. Median age was 62.3, 55.3% were male, median pack-year smoking history was 50 years (range 2.2-230), and median calculated lung cancer risk was 3.4% over 6 years (range 2-38.2). Calculated lung cancer risk increased by 0.08% (SE 0.02, p-value=0.001) for each increase in Likert risk perception category. On multivariable analysis, the following variables were associated with risk perception category: cigarettes smoked per day (+0.003 increase in category / cigarette, p=0.083), presence of dyspnea (+0.192), presence of wheeze (+0.272), known COPD (+0.110), no family history of cancer (-0.476) and no family history of lung cancer (-0.385) (all p<0.001). Increased perception of risk was associated with intent to quit smoking within 6 months (p<0.001). In this lung cancer screening study, risk perception was positively associated with calculated risk for lung cancer, despite a minimum 2% risk in the cohort. Individual factors and family history of cancer predicted risk perception. Risk perception was also associated with a willingness to quit smoking. Self-risk perception and associated factors could be used to tailor recruitment strategies to screening programs. The link between risk perception and willingness to quit smoking could aid integrated tobacco cessation programs.