Lung Cancer Screening and USPSTF Recommendations

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and low-dose computed tomography screening can reduce mortality for high-risk individuals. In 2021, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) expanded lung cancer screening (LCS) guidelines to include adults aged 50 to 79 with a history of 20 or more years of smoking, who are current or recent (within 15 years) smokers. This study analyzed data from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to investigate the prevalence of LCS based on eligibility according to USPSTF criteria. This study found that nearly half of LCS was outside USPSTF recommendations, and ineligible individuals often sought screening despite not meeting the criteria. This raises concerns about the reasons for seeking screening among those not considered high risk. Further research is needed to understand the benefits and risks of screening outside of USPSTF guidelines.