Three times as many lung cancer deaths could be prevented if everyone eligible for screening got a chest CT scan, a new study says.
Only about 1 in 5 U.S. adults eligible for lung cancer screening received it in 2024, researchers reported Nov. 19 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Increasing screening to 100% would increase by threefold the number of lung cancer deaths prevented and life-years gained, researchers said.
“It’s disappointing that lung cancer screening uptake remains this low,” lead researcher Priti Bandi, scientific director of cancer risk factors and screening surveillance research at the American Cancer Society, said in a news release.
“More sobering is that this low uptake is translating into a real missed opportunity as three times more lung cancer deaths could be prevented (or lives saved) if everyone eligible were screened,” Bandi added.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with 125,000 deaths in 2025, researchers said. It’s also the second most common cancer, with around 225,000 new cases annually.
People are eligible for a low-dose CT scan to look for lung cancer if they have a 20 pack-year or more smoking history, currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years, and are between 50 and 80 years old, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A pack-year is smoking an average of one pack of cigarettes per day for one year, the CDC says. For example, a person could have a 20 pack-year history by smoking one pack a day for two decades, or two packs a day for one decade.
For the new study, researchers analyzed data from the 2024 National Health Interview Survey, which is conducted annually by the CDC.
Results showed that nearly 13 million Americans are eligible for lung cancer screening, but only 19% reported being up to date with such screening.
If 100% were screened, nearly 30,000 more deaths would be prevented, and more than 482,000 extra years of life would be gained, researchers calculated.
“We need to raise these screening numbers. If you’re aged 50 to 80 and have ever smoked, talk to your doctor to find out if you’re eligible for lung cancer screening and whether it would be appropriate for you,” Bandi said. “Also, expanding current screening eligibility irrespective of years since quitting is warranted and could help save lives.”
The government can help by ensuring people’s access to health care and making sure screening procedures are fully covered, said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).
“This research underscores the urgent need to protect and expand access to care to ensure people are able to immediately utilize preventive and early detection screenings at no cost,” Lacasse said in a news release.
“ACS CAN will continue to work with lawmakers to improve access to lifesaving screenings and decrease lung cancer deaths, as well as eliminating patient costs for screening and follow-up tests by all payers, bringing us closer to ending cancer as we know it, for everyone,” Lacasse added.