Panel Recommends Lung Cancer Scans
for People 50 and up, With Shorter Smoking Histories.
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force
presented the new recommendations on Tuesday
in the medical journal 'JAMA.'.
Almost twice the number of people than before are now
advised to receive a preventative lung scan.
The recommended age for
a scan has been lowered from 55 to 50.
and the length of smoking history
is reduced from 30 years to 20 years.
The changes significantly increase
the number of African Americans
and women who should be tested.
Studies show both women and African Americans
have a higher tendency to develop lung cancer
at earlier ages and through less exposure to cigarettes.
More people die annually of lung cancer
in the U.S. than of any other type of cancer