New Cancer Guidelines for Ex-Smokers

1.Smoking is linked to 80 to 90% of lung cancer deaths. 

2.Most people diagnosed with the disease are 65 or older. 

3.The American Cancer Society now recommends that If you ever smoked and are age 50 to 80 –even if you quit decades ago—you should have an annual lung cancer screening.

It used to be thought that if you had smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 15 years and didn’t develop lung cancer, you were in the clear. The new recommendation is based on studies showing that expanded screening can save lives by catching cancer in people who quit smoking years earlier,

The disease is often symptomless until it is at an advanced stage. Large scale trials show that early detection can lead to a 20-25% improvement in survival rates.

Medicare Part B will cover lung cancer screenings for many people up to age 77 who smoke or quit in the past 15 years with an order from a doctor.

January/February 2024 AARP Bulletin