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Studies suggest that CT scanning detects lung cancer in smokers at a treatable stage. However, whether it results in better treatment outcomes isn't known - so for now, it will take a back seat to screening for prostate, breast, and bowel cancers. There's a huge debate about cancer screening. Just look at the fuss over prostate tests for men. People argue over mammography for breast cancer and we're yet to introduce bowel cancer screening, despite evidence it saves lives. Another battleground is lung cancer. Unlike prostate and breast screening, where healthy people are tested and therefore the benefits must far outweigh the risks, lung cancer should be easier because there is a group with a higher hit rate. People, especially women aged over 60, who've smoked a pack a day for at least 10 years are at particular risk of lung cancer, even if they've quit. But how would you screen them? Chest X-rays aren't good at finding cancers early enough. But helical CT - modern CAT scans which can image the chest quickly - may do the job. Some studies suggest that helical CT detects lung cancer at a more treatable stage. The trouble is there's no guarantee that early detection is a good thing and these studies haven't used control groups as a comparison: smokers who weren't screened. So at the moment, this isn't a form of screening we should be clamouring for. There's a long queue in front.
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