2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) - Posters-P4.04D.02 Lung Cancer in Never Smokers and Individuals with a Family History of Lung Cancer: Missed Opportunities for Screening

P4.04D.02 Lung Cancer in Never Smokers and Individuals with a Family History of Lung Cancer: Missed Opportunities for Screening

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The study, partly funded by the Simons Foundation International, investigates lung cancer in individuals who have never smoked and those with a family history of the disease, highlighting significant gaps in current screening guidelines. Conducted by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the study analyzed data from 1307 patients enrolled in the Initiatives for Early Lung Cancer Research on Treatment (IELCART) from 2016 to July 2024. Participants' demographics, clinical findings, and outcomes were tracked to determine screening eligibility and cancer stages.<br /><br />Significantly, 68% of these patients did not qualify under existing lung cancer screening criteria set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. These criteria focus on individuals aged 50-80 who are current or former smokers with at least 20 pack-years of smoking history—overlooking those with secondhand smoke exposure or a familial lung cancer history. Ineligible patients included 39% who never smoked, 38% smoking 20 pack-years, and 23% former smokers who quit over 15 years ago.<br /><br />The study reveals high lung cancer instances in populations currently excluded from routine screening, suggesting missed opportunities for early detection. Among the 159 patients with family histories of lung cancer, varied tumor histologies were observed, with adenocarcinoma dominating (70%). Despite aggressive first primary lung cancers identified among ineligible patients, predominantly at Stage I, only 2% were at Stage 0.<br /><br />The findings stress the importance of refining lung cancer screening guidelines to include broader risk factors such as family history. This could improve early detection and treatment outcomes for higher-risk, currently overlooked populations. The study advises revisiting and expanding screening protocols to ensure comprehensive coverage that better aligns with actual risk profiles.

Asset Subtitle

Rowena Yip

Meta Tag

Speaker Rowena Yip

Topic Screening & Early Detection

Keywords

lung cancer

screening guidelines

family history

non-smokers

Mount Sinai

IELCART

Simons Foundation

adenocarcinoma

early detection

risk factors