Lung cancer screening criteria based on the duration of smoking appeared to be a better option for determining individuals at highest risk for lung cancer in an observational study.Compared with USPSTF recommendations, criteria based on the minimum number of years smoked (20, 30, or 40 years) identified more individuals most expected to benefit from screening.A threshold of at least 40 years of smoking was also more effective than the USPSTF in excluding people least expected to benefit from screening.
Lung cancer screening criteria based on smoking duration appeared to be a better method of evaluating lung cancer risk than current guidelines that use pack-years and years since cessation, according to results from a nationally representative cohort study.
Researchers found that years-smoked thresholds ranging from 20 to 40 years captured a greater proportion of individuals likely to benefit most from low-dose CT screening compared with U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) eligibility criteria, reported Lauren Kearney, MD, of Boston University School of Medicine, and colleagues.
There was a trade-off with the less stringent thresholds, however. For example, a minimum of 20 years of smoking captured almost all of the individuals who had the highest chance of benefit, but it greatly expanded the screen-eligible population compared with USPSTF criteria and included many of the lowest-benefit individuals.
