"Expanded Guidelines Call for Increased Lung Cancer Screening in Adults"

The American Cancer Society has updated its guidelines for lung cancer screening, recommending that more adults be screened for the disease. The new guideline expands the recommendations to include older adults who smoke or formerly smoked, regardless of how long ago they quit. The updated guideline suggests annual lung cancer screening for current or past smokers, ages 50 to 80, with at least a 20 pack-year smoking history. The American Cancer Society estimates that this updated recommendation could prevent 21% more lung cancer deaths compared to the current guidelines. The guideline also presents an opportunity to raise awareness and improve screening rates, particularly among Black and Brown communities who are at higher risk for developing and dying from lung cancer.