Lung Cancer Screening

Asymptomatic nature of lung cancer in early stages often leads to late-stage diagnoses, exacerbating the health burden. According to statistics in 2023, 54% of lung cancer cases are detected at stage IV^[1](Figure 4), limiting the treatment options and making lung cancer the deadliest form of cancer, with 3,880 deaths (26.1%)^[2]. In contrast, early detection at stage I offers a significantly higher 5-year survival rate of 72.4%^[3], highlighting the critical need for effective screening. LDCT screening has proven effectiveness in early lung cancer detection internationally.

Figure 4: Stage Distribution of Lung Cancer in Hong Kong in 2023

Asymptomatic high-risk individuals fulfilling the following criteria should consider receiving LDCT screening:

• Aged between 50 and 79
• Having a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years*;
• Current smokers or former smokers who quit smoking within the past 10 years.

* Pack-year is a measure of the amount of a person has smoked over a long period of time. It is calculated by multiplying the average number of packs of cigarettes (20 sticks) smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked. For example, 20 pack-years is equivalent to smoking one pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years, or smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day for 40 years.