---
title: Two-Thirds of Americans Do Not Know Lung Cancer Screening Exists
description: Only 33% of US adults know low-dose CT lung cancer screening is available. It is recommended for adults 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
updated: 2026-07-29T11:25:12.615Z
canonical: https://richhealthmagazine.com/article/lung-cancer-screening-awareness-barometer
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/lung-cancer-screening-awareness-64055.webp
categories: Everyday Wellness
content_type: News
region: United States
publication: Rich Health Magazine
schema_type: Article
---

A low-dose CT scan for lung cancer is recommended for a defined group of American adults, and two-thirds of the country does not know it is available. That comes from the 2026 Lung Health Barometer, the American Lung Association's biannual national survey, now in its eighth round, which polled a nationally representative sample of 4,000 adults ahead of World Lung Cancer Day on 1 August.

## The Rule Is Narrow and Precise

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends [annual screening with low-dose computed tomography](https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screening) for adults aged 50 to 80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and who either currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years. A 20 pack-year history means a pack a day for 20 years, or two packs a day for 10. The recommendation carries a Grade B, and the Task Force says screening should stop once a person has not smoked for 15 years, or develops a health problem that substantially limits life expectancy or the ability or willingness to have curative lung surgery.

Only 33% of the adults surveyed knew the scan was available for people at high risk at all.

## Most People Have Never Raised It With a Doctor

76% of respondents have not spoken with their doctor about their risk for lung cancer, and 36% say they are concerned they might get the disease. Harold Wimmer, the Association's president and chief executive, said what concerns him is the conversation that is not happening: "The results also reveal that most adults have not spoken with their healthcare provider about their risk for the disease, which is concerning because we know that screening can detect cancer early, when treatment is more likely to be successful."

> "The 2026 Lung Health Barometer found that there is significantly more work to do to raise awareness about lung cancer and the availability of lifesaving lung cancer screening."
> — Harold Wimmer, President and CEO, American Lung Association

## Few Recognize It as a Women's Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. Only 8% of respondents placed it among the cancers most likely to affect women, against 32% who placed it among those most likely to affect men. Only 28% knew it is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States at all. The Association estimates that 229,410 people in the country will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year.

## Awareness Is Rising, From a Low Base

The Association says awareness of screening has improved over time, while noting the figure leaves room for improvement. 70% of those surveyed agreed they felt hopeful that outcomes for people affected by lung cancer had improved over the past 10 years. The Association says the lung cancer survival rate has risen by more than 50% in the past decade, which it attributes to advances in research, treatment and early detection.

The full survey findings are at [lung.org](https://www.lung.org/lung-force/lung-health-barometer).

## FAQ

**Q: How do you qualify for lung cancer screening?**
The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for adults aged 50 to 80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and who either currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years. A 20 pack-year history means one pack a day for 20 years, or two packs a day for 10 years. The Task Force says screening should stop once someone has not smoked for 15 years, or develops a health problem that substantially limits life expectancy or the ability or willingness to have curative lung surgery.