American Cancer Society expands lung cancer screening guidelines for cigarette smokers
No matter how long it was since the last cigarette, the American Cancer Society says, a significant history of smoking points to the need for annual screening.
Most lung cancer screening guidelines hinge on how much people smoked tobacco and when they last smoked, but the American Cancer Society now says it doesn’t matter how long ago they quit. On Wednesday, the ACS released guidance recommending that anyone with a significant smoking history get an annual low-dose CT scan for lung cancer.
The new guidelines also expand the age range for lung cancer screening to 50 through 80, instead of 55 through 74, and lower the smoking history requirement from 30 cigarette pack years to 20 pack years or more. That means the equivalent of a pack a day for 20 years, which includes two packs a day for 10 years or four packs a day for five years. Most private insurance plans are required to cover screening guidelines with an A or B grade recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, though some organizations do follow ACS guidelines.
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