Lung cancer screening: promise and pitfalls

OBJECTIVES: To provide an overview of the status of lung cancer screening. DATA SOURCES: Published articles, book chapters, websites, and research studies. CONCLUSION: Screening with chest x-ray and sputum cytology has not been shown to be effective in reducing lung cancer mortality. Although screening with helical CT is currently under investigation in randomized clinical trials, observational studies have not shown evidence that it can detect lung cancer that is curable. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: As health care educators and caregivers, nurses should be informed of the status and current controversies associated with lung cancer screening.