CT Screening Challenges Amid Rising Threat of Lung Cancer in Individuals Who Have Never Smoked
Abstract
), and a lower tumor mutational burden. Although chest low-dose CT (LDCT) screening has shown potential for early detection of LCINS, its widespread application in populations at low risk for developing lung cancer raises concerns about overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and radiation exposure, with mortality benefits yet to be demonstrated. Future screening strategies should focus on ensuring precise risk stratification, optimizing screening intervals, and minimizing potential harm. Incorporating demographic, clinical, genetic, and environmental data-potentially supported by artificial intelligence-may enable more personalized approaches. Given the indolent nature of many screen-detected LCINS, there is a need to shift the clinical mindset toward prioritizing active surveillance instead of immediate surgery. Overall, LDCT screening for LCINS requires careful balancing of potential benefits and harms, underscoring the need for tailored, evidence-based strategies.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Radiation Dose and Imaging
Radiomics and Machine Learning in Medical Imaging
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Radiology
- Publisher
- Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)
- Volume
- 318
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- e251305–e251305
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN