2021 New Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) announced a revision to their lung cancer screening guidelines from 2013. The 2013 guidelines recommended annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans for people between the ages of 55 and 80 years who have a 30-pack-year smoking history and who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

The 2021 revised guidelines recommend annual screening for lung cancer with LDCT in people... 

aged 50 to 80 years who have a 20-pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. 

In other words, the guidelines have been expanded to include younger people and those who have smoked less.

How will these new guidelines impact lung cancer screening?

• The new guidelines will result in 14.5 million US adults being eligible for lung cancer screening under the 2021 recommendations, an increase of 81% (6.4 million adults) from the 2013 recommendations.
• The new guidelines, when implemented, have the potential to increase access to screening to women and underserved communities.

Learn more at LUNGevity Foundation web site.