Lung Cancer Screening: Benefits and Risks

People who are asymptomatic for lung cancer (meaning that they show no symptoms) may wonder about whether or not they should get tested, particularly if they're in any of the groups that would increase their risk of developing lung cancer.

Unfortunately, there are no definite answers. In fact, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) no longer recommends screening for lung cancer in patients that have no symptoms.

They offered 2 reasons for this.

The first is that there is little evidence that screening for lung cancer actually prevents death.

The second is that screening can cause false positives, which would mean more testing and potentially surgical procedures that carry risks, cause anxiety, and come with a hefty price tag.

However, CDC doesn't rule out that the benefits of lung cancer screening might outweigh the potential harms, so they don't recommend against testing. Because of that, it's up to you and your doctor to determine if you might benefit from lung cancer screening.

What's screening? There are several tests doctors may use for lung cancer screening. Chest x-rays, sputum cytology (looking for cancer cells in phlegm under a microscope), and CAT scans of the lungs. There is some evidence that these tests might find lung cancer in the screening stage, but not enough as of yet to encourage the CDC or doctors to recommend routine testing for lung cancer.

Because of this, it's important to talk to your doctor if you have risk factors for lung cancer so that you can make an educated decision about testing.

Risk Factors

Smoking (and secondhand smoke) increases your risk of developing lung cancer drastically. According to the CDC, smoking is responsible for 90% of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80% of lung cancer deaths in women. People who smoke are 10 to 20 times more likely to get or die from lung cancer than non-smokers. The more you smoke, the greater your risk.

Smoking is also known to cause cancer of the larynx, mouth and throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, and stomach, as well as increasing your risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia. Though quitting lowers your risk, it's still higher than the risk of people who never smoked.

Smoking isn't the only risk, however. Exposure to other carcinogens in the workplace or at home can increase your risk of developing lung cancer. Some of these deadly carcinogens are radon gas, asbestos, arsenic, and some forms of silica and chromium.

While the risk of being exposed to these substances is lower than the risk of being exposed to cigarette smoke, smoking while being exposed to these substances raises your risk of developing lung cancer even further.

Family history also plays an important role in determining your risk of developing lung cancer. If you have a close family member who developed lung cancer, this increases your risk due to potential shared behaviors such as smoking or exposure to carcinogens where you lived such as radon. There might also be a genetic component.

Some experts are now focusing on whether diet can increase or decrease your risk of getting lung cancer, but all the information isn't in yet. There is evidence that diets high in vitamins C or E, or selenium might help protect against lung cancer.

It is important that you stay informed about your risks for lung cancer and other forms of cancer, and that you make informed decisions, with the help of your doctor, about lung cancer screening. Talk to your doctor to get a better idea of your risk of developing lung cancer, and whether screening is right for you.

Sources:

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/lung