Impact of Lung Nodules on LDCT on Smoking Cessation

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related mortality worldwide [1-5]. The data from the US National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) showed annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screening in the high risk population reduced lung cancer mortality by 20% compared with a chest x-ray (CXR) [6]. With the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) covering lung cancer screening, the access to LDCT has dramatically improved across the nation. The current eligibility criteria include asymptomatic patients between 55 – 77 years with a tobacco smoking history of at least 30 pack-years and includes current smokers or people who have quit smoking within the last 15 years. Smoking continues to be a major contributor to morbidity and mortality and is associated with a huge economic burden [7].