Low Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) Statistics

Approximately 50% of lung cancers detected by LDCT are early stage.
  • Number needed to be screened with LDCT to prevent one lung cancer death is 320 over 6.5 years of follow-up with three rounds of annual LDCT screening.1
  • Relative risk reduction: Compared to those screened with Chest X-Ray (CXR), there were 16% fewer lung cancer deaths among trial participants screened with LDCT.2
  • Absolute risk reduction: Compared to those screened with CXR, there was 0.33% absolute risk reduction of lung cancer deaths among trial participants screened with LDCT.1

Early Detection is Important3

Pie chart showing detection times.

Five-year lung cancer survival rate is greatest when diagnosed at a localized stage (based on current population data).

References:

1. National Lung Screening Trial Research Team, Aberle DR, Adams AM, Berg CD, Black WC, Clapp JD, Fagerstrom RM, et al. Reduced lung-cancer mortality with low-dose computed tomographic screening. N Engl J Med. 2011 Aug 4;365(5):395-409. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1102873. Epub 2011 Jun 29.

2. Pinsky, PF. Assessing the benefits and harms of low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer. Lung Cancer Manag. 2014 Dec 3(6):491-498.

3. Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, Garshell J, Miller D, Altekruse SF, et al. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2012, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2012/, based on November 2014 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site, April 2015.

All References.