National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute
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Lung Cancer Screening (PDQ®)     
Last Modified: 08/26/2008
Health Professional Version
Purpose of This PDQ Summary

This PDQ cancer information summary for health professionals provides comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based information about lung cancer screening. This summary is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary by the PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board 1.

Information about the following is included in this summary:

  • Lung cancer incidence and mortality statistics and information about lung cancer risk factors.
  • Lung cancer screening modalities.
  • Benefits and harms of lung cancer screening.

This summary is intended as a resource to inform clinicians and other health professionals about currently available lung cancer screening modalities. The PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board uses a formal evidence ranking system 2 in reporting the evidence of benefit and potential harms associated with each screening modality. It does not provide formal guidelines or recommendations for making health care decisions. Information in this summary should not be used as a basis for reimbursement determinations.

This summary is also available in a patient version 3, which is written in less technical language.



Table of Links

1http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening-prevention-board
2http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/levels-of-evidence/HealthProfessio
nal
3http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/lung/Patient