By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2024 (HealthDay News) — People who’ve had a history of smoking can get lung cancer<\/a> spotted early — when it’s most treatable — through annual CT screening.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, most Americans polled in a new survey didn’t know this potentially lifesaving screen exists.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u0080\u009cThe survey shows that we have a significant amount of work to do in increasing awareness about lung cancer screening,” said Harold Wimmer<\/a>. He’s president and CEO of the American Lung Association (ALA), which conducted the 2024 Lung Health Barometer\u00a0survey.<\/p>\n Getting a tumor detected via an annual CT lung scan raises the odds of five-year survival from stage 1 to 4 lung cancer by 63%, according to the ALA<\/a>.<\/p>\n Under current American Cancer Society<\/a> guidelines, yearly lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT scan is currently recommended for all people aged 50 to 80 who smoke or used to smoke, and who have at least a 20 pack-year history of smoking (meaning a pack of cigarettes smoked per day for 20 years).<\/p>\n The new ALA survey canvassed 4,000 people across the United States about their knowledge of lung health and lung cancer.<\/p>\n Only 38% of respondents knew that CT scans were now an available screening option for people at high risk for lung cancer.<\/p>\n Still, even that number is an increase from prior years, Wimmer noted.<\/p>\n “Compared to our 2022 Lung Health Barometer, we saw a 27% increase in awareness of lung cancer screening,” he said in an ALA news release.<\/p>\n In other findings:<\/p>\n Only about a quarter (28%) of respondents knew that lung cancer is still America’s leading cancer killer. Only 10% thought it was a cancer likely to affect women (women are often affected).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Most (73%) of respondents had never spoken to their doctor about their risk for lung cancer, and only 42% were concerned they might get the disease. According to the ACS<\/a>, about 1 in every 5 lung cancers occur in people who have never smoked.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Seven out of 10 of those surveyed were hopeful that lung cancer treatments and outcomes have improved over the past decade. However, only 15% were aware that survival has increased dramatically — by over 50% in the past 10 years.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00e2\u0080\u009cThe American Lung Association\u00e2\u0080\u0099s new survey provides a critical look at public awareness and attitudes regarding lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.,” Wimmer said.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n Find out more about lung cancer screening guidelines from another respected group, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force<\/a>.<\/p>\n SOURCE: American Lung Association, news release, Aug. 1, 2024<\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n\n