Screening for Lung Cancer Might Benefit Those at Highest Risk

But it's not appropriate for most people, researchers say

May 20, 2012 RSS Feed Print

However, he believes these guidelines will be refined over the years as new data become available.

"The question remains, who else might you endorse lung cancer screening for," Smith said. "Suppose someone had a 35 pack/year history and they were 35 years old, or what if they were 45 years old and had started smoking at the age of 12."

There may be other levels of risk where screening might be beneficial, Smith said: "We will probably learn a lot from trials that are currently under way."

More information

For more on lung cancer, visit the American Lung Association.