Debra S. Dyer, MD, FACR, Chair of the American College of Radiology® (ACR®) Lung Cancer Screening (LCS) 2.0 Steering Committee, contributed this piece.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Amid an ever-changing healthcare climate, it’s more critical than ever for radiologists to connect with referring physicians to squash misperceptions about screening and to help patients return to care.
Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) saves lives, and we must re-engage our referring providers on the countless screening benefits. Research shows that screening older current and former smokers with LDCT reduces lung cancer mortality by up to 26%, yet less than 10% of the eligible population is being screened. Unlike breast and colon cancer screening, a primary care physician must approve the patient to get LDCT screening during a shared decision-making visit.
That’s why I’m excited to share the ACR Bulletin podcast series, Mythbusting Lung Cancer Screening. The six-episode podcast is a collaborative effort of the ACR Population Health Management Committee, ACR LCS 2.0 Subcommittee and the National Lung Cancer Roundtable, and features my interviews with key members of the lung cancer screening team — the referring clinician, pulmonologist and the radiologist. These conversations highlight misperceptions and provide information to bust lung cancer screening myths.
As lung cancer kills more people than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined, recommended screening can save more lives than any cancer screening exam in history. Supporting a lung cancer screening program is an immediate step that physicians committed to health equity — and who want to ensure that all patients get the care they need — can take right now.
- Get the facts in the ACR Bulletin Podcast series, Mythbusting Lung Cancer Screening.
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