Medical groups OK lung cancer screening for heavy smokers

The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommend that patients at greatest risk of developing lung cancer be screened with low-dose CT scans. They base the new guidelines on a review of studies that looked at low-dose CT screening. The American Cancer Society is among the organizations that reviewed the studies, and is developing a full lung cancer screening guideline of its own. In the meantime, ACS guidance says people who think they may be at increased risk should speak with their doctors about the risks and benefits of using low-dose CT scans for the early detection of lung cancer. The review was published online May 20, 2012 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers analyzed 21 studies of low-dose CT screening. See the full story from American Cancer Society.