Lung Cancer Screening
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- Overview
- What It Is
- Causes
- Risk Factors
- Diagnosis
- Symptoms
- Prognosis
- Living With
- Complications
- User Questions
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- Screening
- Medications
- Prevention
- Treatment
- Alternative Treatment
- Care Guide
- Questions for Your Doctor
- When to Contact a Doctor
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- Resource Guide
Screening for Lung Cancer
The purpose of screening is early diagnosis and treatment. Screening tests are usually administered to people without current symptoms, but who may be at high risk for certain diseases or conditions.
Screening Tests
A chest x-ray can show the presence of an unsuspected tumor, but has not been generally recommended as a screening test for lung cancer. A CT scan can identify smaller tumors better than a chest x-ray can. A CT scan is a series of x-rays put together by a computer to create images of the lung. A special spiral or helical low-dose CT scan may identify smaller tumors than a regular x-ray, but more studies need to be done on this imaging test. Taking sputum (mucus from the lung) samples to check for cancer cells is another screening method, but there is insufficient evidence as to how reliable it is.
A 2009 review of studies found that screening with chest x-ray, CT scan, and sputum testing does not effectively reduce the risk of death from lung cancer.
Screening Guidelines
There are currently no screening guidelines for lung cancer. Doctors do not know if screening with the new type of CT scan will save lives, so the use of this test is still under investigation. It is not yet recommended as a screening tool.
