Just 18% of Americans who need lung cancer screenings get one [Video]

A new study from the American Cancer Society (ACS) found few adults in the U.S. were up-to-date with recommended lung cancer screenings. 

ACS researchers found up-to-date lung cancer screenings were only prevalent in about 18% of adults who were recommended to get them.

Notably, the screening uptake was lower in adults without health insurance, and also in Southern states that typically have a higher lung cancer death rate. 

“Early detection with (lung cancer screenings) is critical because lung cancer symptoms often don’t appear in the early stages, but when diagnosed and treated early, survival is markedly improved,” said Dr. Priti Bandi, who is the Scientific Director of cancer risk factors and screening surveillance research at the American Cancer Society.

She added that this research did show increased screening rates from previous years, and stressed that an expansion of healthcare access and screening facilities can help improve early detection and treatment for lung cancer. 

In the United …