Messages about breast cancer and prostate cancer awareness are everywhere—pink all October. Pink bats and uniforms are everywhere; baseball players rock them on Mother’s Day, then switch to blue for prostate cancer on Father’s Day. We should do everything we can to raise awareness of early screening for these cancers. Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form in women. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men.
But oncologists are begging people not to overlook the second-most common cancer among men and women: Small and non-small cell lung cancer. Oncologists like Dr. Seth Krantz, MD, of Endeavor Health, explain that risk factors for lung cancer include radon exposure, secondhand smoke and genetics.
But the biggest? Smoking, and there’s no safe number of cigarettes. People who regularly smoked an average of less than one cigarette per day throughout their lives had a 64% higher risk of earlier death than never-smokers, according to research by the National Cancer Institute. The same study found that people who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes per day had an 87% higher risk of dying early than never-smokers. And when it comes to lung cancer cases, people who smoke have a 15 to 30 times higher chance of developing or dying from the disease than their non-smoking peers.
However, many people who smoke are eligible for lung cancer screening, but research suggests that they don’t even know it exists. Oncologists say it can be life-saving. Below, oncologists revealed the one lung cancer screening most eligible people miss.
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The Lung Cancer Screening Almost No One Eligible Gets (But Should), Oncologists Say
Oncologists wish more people got a low-dose CT scan to screen for lung cancer. But many people haven’t heard of it. Dr. Krantz explains that a CT scan is a special kind of X-ray. “The machine takes lots of thin slices of a patient to give a detailed look at what is going on inside the body,” he says. “A low-dose CT scan for lung cancer screening uses far less radiation than a standard scan.”
Dr. Krantz adds that a low-dose CT scan uses about 25% of the radiation of a standard CT scan but still provides a detailed view of the lungs. This view can help oncologists identify lung cancers while they’re still small, before symptoms develop.
Dr. Jiaxin (Jason) Niu, MD, Ph.D., an oncologist with HonorHealth Cancer Care, describes low-dose CT scans as “quick and painless.” So, why don’t people get them?
He thinks the lack of awareness plays a role. In fact, only about 18% of U.S. adults eligible for lung cancer screening were screened in 2022, according to research presented at the American College of Chest Physicians 2026 Annual Meeting in October of 2026. Only 6.5% discussed screening with a doctor.
Dr. Niu says other possible reasons people aren’t getting screened for lung cancer if they’re eligible include:
Fear of radiation exposure Believing that you have to have symptoms to have lung cancer (“Early stage lung cancer doesn’t have any symptoms,” Dr. Niu clarifies) Feeling guilt, shame or fear of being judged for smoking history Access and cost barriers, like transportation issues and inability to get time off from workRelated: A Pulmonologist Is Begging You To Stop Using This One Common Household Item
Who Is Eligible for a Low-Dose CT Scan?
It depends on who you ask.
The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends an annual low-dose CT for adults aged 50-80 who have at least a 20-pack-year smoking history and who currently smoke or who quit within the past 15 years. The American Cancer Society recommends that anyone who has smoked at least 20 pack-years get screened, regardless of when they quit. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends screening for anyone 50 years old or older who has smoked for at least 20 years (instead of pack-years).“This distinction is important because pack-years can be complicated—1 pack a day for 20 years, 2 packs for 10 years and so on—and patients’ smoking quantity can change over time,” Dr. Krantz explains. “I think the main takeaway is that if you are over 50 years old and have smoked for at least 20 years, you should be talking with your doctor about whether a low-dose screening CT is appropriate.”
Related: Oncologists Are Begging People To Stop Using This Common Cleaning Product
What to Expect During a Low-Dose CT Scan
A low-dose CT scan is pretty simple—the hardest part may be getting to the center.
“The process takes a few minutes, and there is no special preparation needed,” explains Dr. Amna Sher, MD, a medical oncologist at the Stony Brook Cancer Center. “You lie flat on a table that slides in and out of the CT scanner, and you may be asked to hold your breath for a few seconds.”
Yep. That’s it. No fasting, and you won’t even need IV contrast.
From there, you’ll await your results. Dr. Sher says if anything comes back abnormal, your doctor may ask for more tests, like:
Diagnostic CT scan PET-CT scan Biopsy“If lung cancer is diagnosed, you will be referred to a specialist to discuss treatment options, including surgery, radiation or systemic therapy such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted therapy,” she says.
The good news? Earlier detection can increase your chances of ringing the bell.
Up Next:
Related: Oncologists Are Begging Women Over 50 To Get This One Test—and Many Are Skipping It
Sources:
Dr. Seth Krantz, MD, an oncologist with Endeavor Health Dr. Amna Sher, MD, a medical oncologist at the Stony Brook Cancer Center Dr. Jiaxin (Jason) Niu, MD, Ph,D., an oncologist with HonorHealth Cancer Care Key Statistics for Lung Cancer. American Cancer Society. Association of Long-term, Low-Intensity Smoking With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. JAMA Internal Medicine. Lung Cancer Risk Factors. CDC. Lung Cancer: Screening. USPSTF. Lung Cancer. American Cancer Society. NCCN Guidelines. National Comprehensive Cancer Network.Hence then, the article about the lung cancer screening oncologists say almost no one eligible gets but should was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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