Low-dose CT Lung Cancer Screening Research Articles

Value of low-dose spiral CT combined with circulating miR-200b and miR-200c examinations for lung cancer screening in physical examination population.

The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical value of low-dose spiral CT (LDCT), plasma miR-200b, and miR-200c combined screening for lung cancer screening in the physical examination population. From January 2016 to December 2018, the Physical Examination Center of our hospital underwent low-dose spiral CT lung cancer screening for 10,823 people aged ≥40 years. The quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the relative expressions of miR-200b and miR-200c in plasma, analyze the imaging characteristics of suspicious nodules in the lung and the relative expressions of miR-200b and miR-200c in plasma. A total of 2,919 pulmonary nodules were detected in the 10823 physical examination population, with a total detection rate of 26.97%, including 1523 males and 1396 females. 1081 positive nodules were detected with a detection rate of 9.99%. According to the Lung-RADS classification, the number of type 2 nodules was the highest, with a detection rate of 22.13%. Meanwhile, the rate of type 3 nodules was 3.15%, and the rate of type 4 nodules was 1.69%. The sensitivity, accuracy, and negative predictive value of LDCT, miR-200b, and miR-200c in the diagnosis of lung cancer were significantly improved compared with the individual tests, which were 94.74%, 90.16%, and 95.88%, respectively. Low-dose spiral CT combined with plasma miR-200b and miR-200c for lung cancer screening in the physical examination population can help to detect lung cancer patients with early symptoms that are not significant, and achieve early diagnosis and early treatment.

Lung cancer probability and clinical outcomes of baseline and new subsolid nodules detected on low-dose CT screening

BackgroundLimited data are available regarding the management of subsolid nodules detected on lung cancer screening with low-dose CT (LDCT). We aimed to determine the characteristics of screen-detected subsolid nodules, and...

Examination of the Association Between Access to Care and Lung Cancer Screening Among High-Risk Smokers.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of access to care on the uptake of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening among a diverse sample of screening-eligible patients.Methods: We utilized a cross-sectional study design. Our sample included patients evaluated for lung cancer screening at a large academic medical center (AMC) between 2015 and 2017 who met 2013 USPSTF guidelines for LDCT screening eligibility. The completion of LDCT screening (yes, no) was the primary dependent variable. The independent variable was access to care (insurance type, living within the AMC service area). We utilized binary logistic regression analyses to examine the influence of access to care on screening completion after adjusting for demographic factors (age, sex, race) and smoking history (current smoking status, smoking pack-year history).Results: A total of 1,355 individuals met LDCT eligibility criteria, and of those, 29.8% (n = 404) completed screening. Regression analysis results showed individuals with Medicaid insurance (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.03-2.22), individuals living within the AMC service area (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.21–2.40), and those aged 65–74 years (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.12–1.98) had higher odds of receiving LDCT lung cancer screening. Lower odds of screening were associated with having Medicare insurance (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.22–0.41) and out-of-pocket (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.15–0.47).Conclusion: Access to care was independently associated with lowered screening rates. Study results are consistent with prior research identifying the importance of access factors on uptake of cancer early detection screening behaviors.

Impact of low-dose computed tomography for lung cancer screening on lung cancer surgical volume: The urgent need in health workforce education and training.

This study aimed to investigate the time trend variation in the surgical volume and prognostic outcome of patients with lung cancer after the gradual prolonged implementation of a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening program.Using the hospital-based cancer registry data on number of patients with lung cancer and deaths from 2008 to 2017, we conducted a retrospective study using a hospital-based cohort to investigate the relationship between changes in lung cancer surgical volume, the proportion of lung-sparing surgery, and prolonged prognostic outcomes after the gradual implementation of the LDCT lung cancer screening program in recent years.From 2008 to 2017, 3251 patients were diagnosed with lung cancer according to the hospital-based cancer registry. The 5-year mortality rate decreased gradually from 83.54% to 69.44% between 2008 and 2017. The volume of total lung cancer surgical procedures and proportion of lung-sparing surgery performed gradually increased significantly from 2008 to 2017, especially from 2014 to 2017 after implementation of a large volume of LDCT lung cancer screening examinations. In conclusion, our real-world data suggest that there will be an increase in cases of operable early-stage lung cancers, which in turn will increase the surgical volume and proportion of lung-sparing surgery, after the gradual implementation of the LDCT lung cancer screening program in recent years. These findings suggest the importance of a successful national policy regarding LDCT screening programs, regulation of shortage of thoracic surgeons, thoracic radiologist workforce training positions, and education programs.

Risk Factors for Lung Cancer in an Underrepresented Safety-Net Screening Cohort

Introduction/BackgroundThe USPSTF (United States Preventive Services Task Force) guidelines suggest criteria centering on smoking status and age to select patients for lung cancer screening. Despite the significant advances in screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), cancer detection rate is low (1.1%), highlighting the need to investigate possible ways to refine the current lung cancer screening strategy. Our aim was to determine clinical risk factors predictive of lung cancer in an urban safety-net hospital. Materials and MethodsWe performed a retrospective chart review of 2847 patients who received LDCT screening for lung cancer between 3/1/2015 and 12/31/2019. Patient demographics and medical history were collected. A bivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of lung cancer. ResultsCompared to the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial (NLST) population, our screening cohort had significantly more African Americans (38.2% vs. 4.5%, P < .0001), more obesity (32.7% vs. 28.3%, P < .0001), and higher rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (45.9% vs. 5.0%, P < .0001). The strongest predictors of lung cancer were COPD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.14, P < .0001) and a family history of lung cancer (OR = 2.77, P < .0001). Age (OR = 1.04, P< .001) and pack years (OR = 1.01, P< .001) were less predictive. ConclusionA diagnosis of COPD and family history of lung cancer were most predictive of lung cancer in a screening cohort at our urban safety-net hospital. Future studies should focus on whether inclusion of these additional risk-factors improves proportion of lung cancer detected via screening.

Prediction of Coronary Calcification and Stenosis: Role of Radiomics From Low-Dose CT

We aimed to assess relationship between single-click, whole heart radiomics from low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screening with coronary artery calcification and stenosis. The institutional review board-approved, retrospective study included all 106 patients (68 men, 38 women, mean age 64 ± 7 years) who underwent both LDCT for lung cancer screening and had calcium scoring and coronary computed tomography angiography in our institution. We recorded the clinical variables including patients' demographics, smoking history, family history, and lipid profiles. Coronary calcium scores and grading of coronary stenosis were recorded from the radiology information system. We calculated the multiethnic scores for atherosclerosis risk scores to obtain 10-year coronary heart disease (MESA 10-Y CHD) risk of cardiovascular disease for all patients. Deidentified LDCT exams were exported to a Radiomics prototype for automatic heart segmentation, and derivation of radiomics. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression and kernel Fisher discriminant analyses. Whole heart radiomics were better than the clinical variables for differentiating subjects with different Agatston scores (≤400 and >400) (area under the curve [AUC] 0.92 vs 0.69). Prediction of coronary stenosis and MESA 10-Y CHD risk was better on whole heart radiomics (AUC:0.86-0.87) than with clinical variables (AUC:0.69-0.79). Addition of clinical variables or visual assessment of coronary calcification from LDCT to whole heart radiomics resulted in a modest change in the AUC. Single-click, whole heart radiomics obtained from LDCT for lung cancer screening can differentiate patients with different Agatston and MESA risk scores for cardiovascular diseases.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Lung Cancers Detected on Low-Dose Lung Cancer Screening CT.

Lung cancer screening (LCS) with low-dose CT (LDCT) was implemented in the United States following the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST). The real-world benefits of implementing LCS are yet to be determined with outcome-oriented data. The study objective is to investigate the characteristics and outcomes of screening-detected lung cancers. This single-institution retrospective study included LCS patients between June 2014 and December 2019. Patient demographics, number of screening rounds, imaging features, clinical workup, disease extent, histopathology, treatment, complications, and mortality outcomes of screening-detected lung cancers were extracted and compared with NLST data. LCS LDCTs (7,480) were performed on 4,176 patients. The cancer detection rate was 3.8%, higher than reported by NLST (2.4%, P < 0.0001), and cancers were most often found in patients ≥65 years (62%), older than those in NLST (41%, P < 0.0001). The patients' ethnicity was similar to NLST, P = 0.87. Most LCS-detected cancers were early stage I tumors (71% vs. 54% in NLST, P < 0.0001). Two thirds of cancers were detected in the first round of screening (67.1%) and were multifocal lung cancers in 15%. As in NLST, the complication rate after invasive workup or surgery was low (24% vs. 28% in NLST, P = 0.32). Over a median follow-up of 3.3 years, the mortality rate was 0.45%, lower than NLST (1.33%, P < 0.0001). LCS implementation achieved a higher cancer detection rate, detection of early-stage cancers, and more multifocal lung cancers compared with the NLST, with low complications and mortality. The real-world implementation of LCS has been successful for detection of lung cancer with favorable outcomes.

61 - Incidental findings and their budget impact in the South Tyneside and Sunderland low-dose CT lung cancer screening programme

61 - Incidental findings and their budget impact in the South Tyneside and Sunderland low-dose CT lung cancer screening programme

Deep learning predicts cardiovascular disease risks from lung cancer screening low dose computed tomography

Cancer patients have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality than the general population. Low dose computed tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screening offers an opportunity for simultaneous CVD risk estimation in at-risk patients. Our deep learning CVD risk prediction model, trained with 30,286 LDCTs from the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial, achieves an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.871 on a separate test set of 2,085 subjects and identifies patients with high CVD mortality risks (AUC of 0.768). We validate our model against ECG-gated cardiac CT based markers, including coronary artery calcification (CAC) score, CAD-RADS score, and MESA 10-year risk score from an independent dataset of 335 subjects. Our work shows that, in high-risk patients, deep learning can convert LDCT for lung cancer screening into a dual-screening quantitative tool for CVD risk estimation.

The person behind the nodule: a narrative review of the psychological impact of lung cancer screening.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality globally, responsible for an estimated 1.76 million deaths worldwide in 2018 alone. Screening adults at high risk of lung cancer using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) significantly reduces lung cancer mortality by finding the disease at an early, treatable stage. Many countries are actively considering whether to implement screening for their high-risk populations in light of the recently published Dutch-Belgian trial ‘NELSON’. In deciding whether to implement a national screening programme, policymakers must weigh up the evidence for the relative risks posed to the entire screened population, including the potential psychological burden. This narrative review aimed to critically summarise the evidence for both negative and positive psychological responses experienced throughout the LDCT screening pathway, to describe their magnitude, duration and clinical relevance, and to draw out different aspects of measurement design crucial to their interpretation. A further aim was to discuss the available evidence for individual differences in psychological response, as well as interventions designed to promote psychological well-being. In summary, there was no evidence that the LDCT screening process caused adverse psychological outcomes overall, although those receiving indeterminate and suspicious LDCT results did report clinically raised anxiety and lung cancer-specific distress in the short-term. There was early evidence that demographic factors, smoking status and screening-ineligibility could be associated with individual differences in propensity to experience distress. Qualitative data suggested health beliefs could be modifiable mediators of these individual differences, but their aetiology requires quantitative and prospective research. There was also some evidence of positive psychological responses that could be capitalised on, and of the potential for person-centred communication interventions to achieve this. Further research needs to be embedded in real-world LDCT lung cancer screening services and use condition-specific measures to monitor outcomes and test evidence-based communication interventions in promoting psychological well-being.

Lung Cancer Screening Policy in Alaska and Occupational Therapy.

Lung cancer claims more lives than any other cancer in the world and remains difficult to diagnose in the early stages. This article examines the current state of lung cancer detection and screening via low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in Alaska and considers potential opportunities for occupational therapy practitioners in primary care settings. Medicare requires at least one documented shared decision-making encounter between provider and patient before LDCT lung cancer screening occurs. As a result of time constraints, documentation requirements, and the plethora of preventive health services they provide, primary care physicians often lack the time and training to conduct this essential service. This provides an opportunity for occupational therapy practitioners to perform these services as part of their practice and to play a role in this area as patient educators and prevention specialists in primary care settings. What This Article Adds: This article explores the national health crisis of lung cancer and describes how occupational therapists can participate in providing care in primary care settings.

Factors associated with low-dose CT lung cancer screening participation in a high burden state: Results from the 2017-2018 BRFSS

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to examine low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screening (LCS) eligibility, utilization, and factors associated with self-reported participation among eligible individuals. MethodsData from the 2017 and 2018 Oklahoma Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used and analysis was restricted to data from individuals eligible for screening based on the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines. Analyses using recursive partitioning and weighted logistic regression were conducted from November 2019 to March 2020. The final study sample consisted of 596 respondents. ResultsOnly 10.84 % of participants reported LCS participation. Differences in participation by sex were observed. Among males, those with COPD were more likely to report participating in screening. Among females, those who self-reported their health status as “fair or worse” were more likely to participate in LCS. ConclusionRates of utilization were higher in this study than in earlier estimates; however, utilization of LCS remains suboptimal. Although LCS participation rates were similar for males and females, differences were observed by sex. Opportunities exist to increase screening participation among eligible individuals, and findings from this study can be used for program planning such as patient engagement resources and effective clinical decision support. Policy statementThis study further demonstrates the complex nature of cancer screening participation, specifically LDCT LCS. Under the current USPSTF guidelines only a small proportion of the population is considered eligible thus to prevent lung cancer mortality, the eligibility criteria regarding smoking history and screening age may need to be reevaluated. Furthermore, this study adds to the evidence that strategies to increase screening participation among eligible individuals may need to differ by sex.

Primary care and pulmonary physicians' knowledge and practice concerning screening for lung cancer in Lebanon, a middle-income country.

ABSTRACTBackgroundScreening for lung cancer with low‐dose computed tomography (LDCT) was shown to reduce lung cancer incidence and overall mortality, and it has been recently included in international guidelines. Despite the rising burden of lung cancer in low and middle‐income countries (LMICs) such as Lebanon, little is known about what primary care physicians or pulmonologists know and think about LDCT as a screening procedure for lung cancer, and if they recommend it.ObjectivesEvaluate the knowledge about LDCT and implementation of international guidelines for lung cancer screening among Lebanese primary care physicians (PCPs) and pulmonary specialists.MethodologyPCPs and PUs based in Lebanon were surveyed concerning knowledge and practices related to lung cancer screening by self‐administered paper questionnaires.Results73.8% of PCPs and 60.7% of pulmonary specialists recognized LDCT as an effective tool for lung cancer screening, with 63.6% of PCPs and 71% of pulmonary specialists having used it for screening. However, only 23.4% of PCPs and 14.5% of pulmonary specialists recognized the eligibility criteria for screening. Chest X‐ray was recognized as ineffective by only 55.8% of PCPs and 40.7% of pulmonary specialists; indeed, 30.2% of PCPs and 46% of pulmonary specialists continue using it for screening. The majority have initiated a discussion about the risks and benefits of lung cancer screening.ConclusionPCPs and pulmonary specialists are initiating discussions and ordering LDCT for lung cancer screening. However, a significant proportion of both specialties are still using a non‐recommended screening tool (chest x‐ray); only few PCPs and pulmonary specialists recognized the population at risk for which screening is recommended. Targeted provider education is needed to close the knowledge gap and promote proper implementation of guidelines for lung cancer screening.

Towards radiologist-level cancer risk assessment in CT lung screening using deep learning.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the US, responsible for more deaths than breast, prostate, colon and pancreas cancer combined and large population studies have indicated that low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening of the chest can significantly reduce this death rate. Recently, the usefulness of Deep Learning (DL) models for lung cancer risk assessment has been demonstrated. However, in many cases model performances are evaluated on small/medium size test sets, thus not providing strong model generalization and stability guarantees which are necessary for clinical adoption. In this work, our goal is to contribute towards clinical adoption by investigating a deep learning framework on larger and heterogeneous datasets while also comparing to state-of-the-art models. Three low-dose CT lung cancer screening datasets were used: National Lung Screening Trial (NLST, n = 3410), Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (LHMC, n = 3154) data, Kaggle competition data (from both stages, n = 1397 + 505) and the University of Chicago data (UCM, a subset of NLST, annotated by radiologists, n = 132). At the first stage, our framework employs a nodule detector; while in the second stage, we use both the image context around the nodules and nodule features as inputs to a neural network that estimates the malignancy risk for the entire CT scan. We trained our algorithm on a part of the NLST dataset, and validated it on the other datasets. Special care was taken to ensure there was no patient overlap between the train and validation sets. The proposed deep learning model is shown to: (a) generalize well across all three data sets, achieving AUC between 86% to 94%, with our external test-set (LHMC) being at least twice as large compared to other works; (b) have better performance than the widely accepted PanCan Risk Model, achieving 6 and 9% better AUC score in our two test sets; (c) have improved performance compared to the state-of-the-art represented by the winners of the Kaggle Data Science Bowl 2017 competition on lung cancer screening; (d) have comparable performance to radiologists in estimating cancer risk at a patient level.

Cardiac visceral fat volume estimation from low-dose chest computed tomography: a study with a designed beating heart phantom

Background: Since 2017, a pilot project for lung cancer screening by chest low dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been implemented in Moscow. Patients to be included into the screening have risk factors for ischemic heart disease (IHD). The association between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume and coronary artery atherosclerosis, IHD, and atrial fibrillation has been demonstrated previously.Aim: To demonstrate the feasibility of LDCTbased EAT volumetry using a dynamic (contracting) heart phantom.Materials and methods: The study was performed with the designed dynamic heart phantom and chest phantom in two stages. At stage I, two adipose tissue pieces were scanned inside and outside the chest phantom using CT and LDCT. At stage II, the dynamic heart phantom was scanned outside and inside the chest phantom. In addition, we scanned the heart phantom with a coronary calcium phantom. The contracting heart phantom was developed within three months. All scans of the phantom were performed within one day. We determined the adipose tissue thresholds in LDCT and the EAT volumetric error with both chest CT and LDCT. Measurements of the adipose tissue volumes were performed by the radiologist twice with semi-automatic software.Results: The results of stage I helped to identify optimal density thresholds for LDCT-based adipose tissue volumetry in lung cancer screening, ranging from -250 HU to -30 HU. The stage II results showed that for all heart phantom scanning variants, the average EAT volumetry error did not exceed 5%, except for the case of contracting heart phantom with added coronary calcium in a chest phantom with body mass index (BMI) 29 (-5.92%). Adding the coronary calcium phantom to the heart phantom in LDCT increased the error by an average of 4% in BMI 23 and BMI 29 chest phantoms.Conclusion: LDCT-based EAT volumetry with fat density threshold from -250 HU to -30 HU is feasible in lung cancer screening, including patients with coronary calcium. However, considering the phantom design, further patient studies, and correlation of EAT volumes between LDCT for lung cancer screening and сoronary CT angiography are required.

Preliminary Investigation and Imaging Analysis of Early Lung Cancer Screening Among Petroleum Workers in North China

Background The detection rate of lung nodules has increased significantly among petroleum workers in North China since the low-dose CT (LDCT) screening has been widely carried out. What's more, the number of confirmed early lung cancers is increasing continuously. Therefore, a great deal of concern for the high risk of lung cancer has been shown among petroleum workers. Purpose To improve the screening efficiency and maximize the benefits of the subjects, the current situation of LDCT lung cancer screening should be understood and the imaging characteristics of early lung cancer should be analyzed for petroleum workers in North China. Materials and methods Firstly, the dynamic changes of LDCT early lung cancer screening for petroleum workers in North China were analyzed in recent years. Then, the survey data of 3121 petroleum workers was compared with that of 1868 non-petroleum workers, which was analyzed. Finally, 91 patients (129 nodular lung cancer) confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed, and the data of which was compared with the clinical features obtained from survey data above. The imaging characteristics and related factors of different subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma were discussed and analyzed. Results Lung nodules were found in 810 cases (25.95%) out of 3121 petroleum workers; and the surgery was chosen by 42 patients, 38 of whom were confirmed as lung cancer. Compared with the data of screened petroleum workers, there were more older people and more females as well as a higher proportion of people with family malignancy history, and a lower proportion of smoking people in 91 patients with lung cancer. As the pathological grade of tumor nodules increased, the volume and diameter of nodules gradually increased, and the mean density, maximum density and standard deviation of density also increased (p < 0.001). The volume and diameter of nodules were positively correlated with ages (p < 0.05). Conclusion The occurrence of lung adenocarcinoma is closely related to the family history of malignant tumors, and the constituent ratio of young women without a history of smoking increased significantly. At the same time, the quantitative information obtained by using CT images has important value in predicting its pathological subtypes.

Implementation of Shared Decision Making for Lung Cancer Screening Among the Privately Insured Nonelderly.

Introduction. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires a written order of shared decision making (SDM) visit in its coverage policy for low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screening (LCS). With screening eligibility starting at age 55, private insurance plans will likely adopt this coverage policy. This study examined the implementation of SDM in the context of LCS among the privately insured. Methods. We constructed two study cohorts from MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database 2016-2017: a LDCT cohort who received LDCT for LCS and an SDM cohort who had an LCS-related SDM visit. For the LDCT cohort, we examined the trend and factors associated with the receipt of SDM within 3 months prior to LDCT. For the SDM cohort, we studied the trend and factors associated with LDCT within 3 months after an SDM visit. Results. For privately insured adults aged <64, 93% (19,681/21,084) of the LDCT cohort did not have a billing claim indicating SDM, although the uptake of SDM increased from 3.1% in 1Q2016 to 8.2% in 4Q2017 (P < 0.0001). For the SDM cohort, 46% (948/2048) did not have a claim for an LDCT for lung cancer screening in the 3 months after the SDM visit; this percentage increased from 29.5% in 1Q2016 to 61.8% in 3Q2017 (P < 0.0001). Limitations. Findings cannot be generalized to other nonelderly adults without private insurance. Additionally, the rate of SDM identified from claims may be underreported. Conclusions. We found a growing but low uptake of SDM among privately insured individuals who underwent LDCT. The higher rate of LDCT in the SDM cohort than the rate reported in national studies emphasized the importance of patient awareness.

Screening rate and influential factors of lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography in Asian population: a systematic review and meta-analysis

There are currently no studies synthesizing the screening rate and influential factors of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT)-screened lung cancer in Asian population. A systematic review was conducted, using both English and Chinese language databases on March, 2019. The pooled screening rate and estimated odds ratios (ORs) of influential factors were analyzed using random effects models. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were also employed to explore the heterogeneity. The pooled LDCT lung cancer screening rate was 1.12% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.94%, 1.32%), and increased with age. Adenocarcinoma and stage I lung cancer had higher screening rates. Analysis of influential factors in the general population showed that female and elder age (≥50years) were significantly influencing LDCT lung cancer screening rate (for female, OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.15-1.52; for adults ≥ 50years, OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.52-2.49). Meta-regression analysis indicated that the heterogeneity maybe significantly correlated with the sample size, risk population and source of population. Unlike European and American populations, female and adults > 50years rather than smoking adults were positively associated with screening rate in Asian populations. It is important to further study the benefits of lung cancer screening with LDCT in Asian populations.

Psychological outcomes of low-dose CT lung cancer screening in a multisite demonstration screening pilot: the Lung Screen Uptake Trial (LSUT)

BackgroundPrevious studies of psychological burden in low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening trials may lack generalisability due to participation bias and control arms having elevated distress.MethodsCurrent and former smokers (n=787,...

Urban-Rural Disparities in Access to Low-Dose Computed Tomography Lung Cancer Screening in Missouri and Illinois.

IntroductionLow-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening is recommended for current and former smokers who meet eligibility criteria. Few studies have quantitatively examined disparities in access to LDCT screening. The objective of this study was to examine relationships between 1) rurality, sociodemographic characteristics, and access to LDCT lung cancer screening and 2) screening access and lung cancer mortality.MethodsWe used census block group and county-level data from Missouri and Illinois. We defined access to screening as presence of an accredited screening center within 30 miles of residence as of May 2019. We used mixed-effects logistic models for screening access and county-level multiple linear regression models for lung cancer mortality.ResultsApproximately 97.6% of metropolitan residents had access to screening, compared with 41.0% of nonmetropolitan residents. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, the odds of having access to screening in rural areas were 17% of the odds in metropolitan areas (95% CI, 12%–26%). We observed no association between screening access and lung cancer mortality. Southeastern Missouri, a rural and impoverished area, had low levels of screening access, high smoking prevalence, and high lung cancer mortality.ConclusionAlthough access to LDCT is lower in rural areas than in urban areas, lung cancer mortality in rural residents is multifactorial and cannot be explained by access alone. Targeted efforts to implement rural LDCT screening could reduce geographic disparities in access, although further research is needed to understand how increased access to screening could affect uptake and rural disparities in lung cancer mortality.