Facing an un-met need in lung cancer screening: The never smokers

Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2024 Oct:202:104436. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104436. Epub 2024 Jul 6.

Abstract

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and the second most common cancer in both men and women. In addition to smoking, other risk factors, such as environmental tobacco smoke, air pollution, biomass combustion, radon gas, occupational exposure, lung disease, family history of cancer, geographic variability, and genetic factors, play an essential role in developing LC. Current screening guidelines and eligibility criteria have limited efficacy in identifying LC cases (50 %), as most screening programs primarily target subjects with a smoking history as the leading risk factor. Implementing LC screening programs in people who have never smoked (PNS) can significantly impact cancer-specific survival and early disease detection. However, the available evidence regarding the feasibility and effectiveness of such programs is limited. Therefore, further research on LC screening in PNS is warranted to determine the necessary techniques for accurately identifying individuals who should be included in screening programs.

Keywords: Cancer early detection; Low dose CT scan; Lung cancer screening; Lung neoplasm; Never smokers.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Early Detection of Cancer* / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Lung Neoplasms* / epidemiology
  • Lung Neoplasms* / etiology
  • Male
  • Non-Smokers / statistics & numerical data
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / adverse effects
  • Smoking / epidemiology