Lung cancer screening: use the scan to decide who to scan when

A. Schreuder

• Promotor: C. Schaefer-Prokop and B. van Ginneken
• Copromotor: C. Jacobs
• Graduation year: 2021
• Radboud University, Nijmegen

Abstract

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths worldwide. One of the most effective ways to reduce lung cancer mortality is early diagnosis, which can be achieved via CT screening. However, deciding who and when to screen is challenging because it is difficult to estimate a person's risk of developing lung cancer in the future. Screening involves trade-offs: the goal is to diagnose lung cancer in its early stages while performing as few scans as possible. Fewer scans result in lower health-care costs, less work for medical personnel, and a lower burden on participants. By using information from the CT scan, risk models can be developed which can more accurately predict the risk of lung cancer in screening participants. The models and recommendations described in his PhD thesis can be used to personalize screening strategies, where participants with a lower risk are scanned less frequently.