An influential group of government advisers has endorsed lung cancer screening for the first time â€" but not for everybody. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is proposing annual CT scans, a type of X-ray, for certain current and former smokers.
To be considered for screening, the task force says people should:
â€"Be ages 55 through 79.
â€"Have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years or the equivalent, such as two packs a day for 15 years.
People who should not be screened include:
â€"Those younger than 55 or older than 79.
â€"Those who smoked less or less often than those described above.
â€"Those who quit smoking 15 or more years ago.
â€"Those too sick or frail to withstand treatment for lung cancer.
