Ethicists sound off about lung cancer CT screening

Last year, the lung CT screening debate got jolted by claims from the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program that 80% of people with lung cancer that is treated early can live another decade, at least.

But radiologists must use the technology wisely, according to a comment in the January issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology, because radiation exposure of even as little as 2.5 to 9 mGy has been associated with an increase in cancer.

Dr. Howard Forman of Yale University and Dr. Christoph I. Lee of Stanford University wrote that radiation-induced lung cancer is most problematic for patients in their mid-50s, and smokers may be particularly vulnerable. Repeated CT procedures would significantly increase cancer risk and possibly result in thousands of radiation-induced lung cancers.

Radiologists have an obligation to inform patients of the risks, including workup of potentially benign lesions, they wrote.