The American Cancer Society has updated its lung cancer screening guideline to reduce deaths from the disease, particularly among those with a history of smoking. The new guideline recommends annual low-dose computed tomography scans for lung cancer screening in individuals aged 50 to 80 years with a 20-year or more pack-year smoking history.

This update expands the eligibility age range and lowers the pack-year requirement compared with the previous guidelines set in 2013. It also reflects a positive trend in declining new lung cancer cases and deaths, attributed to reduced smoking rates and advancements in early detection and treatment.

Reference: American Cancer Society Updates Lung Cancer Screening Guideline: Nearly Five Million U.S. Adults who Smoke and Formerly Smoked Now Recommended for Testing. American Cancer Society. Published November 1, 2023. Accessed November 11, 2023. https://pressroom.cancer.org/releases?item=1274%23:~:text=The%20new%20guideline%20recommends%20yearly,CT%20scan%2C%20or%20LDCT