National Lung Screening Trial

National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) was a large-scale, randomized, national trial involving tens of thousands of participants. The trial was designed to determine whether screening with low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) could reduce mortality from lung cancer compared to standard chest X-ray.

Overview

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored the NLST, which was launched in 2002 and involved more than 53,000 current or former heavy smokers aged 55 to 74. Participants were randomly assigned to receive three annual screenings with either low-dose helical CT or standard chest X-ray.

Results

The results of the NLST, published in 2011, showed that participants who received low-dose helical CT scans had a 20% lower risk of dying from lung cancer than participants who received standard chest X-rays. These findings provided the first clear evidence that CT screening could reduce the risk of dying from this disease.

Impact

The results of the NLST have had a significant impact on public health policy and clinical practice. In 2013, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose CT in adults aged 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

See also

• Lung cancer
• Computed tomography
• National Cancer Institute
• U.S. Preventive Services Task Force