Read time: 2 minutes.
Of the more than 234,000 people who will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2025, roughly 50% are ineligible for lung cancer screening according to current guidelines. This limitation leaves many patients vulnerable to late-stage or delayed diagnosis and high mortality rates. LUNGevity’s Early Lung Cancer Center partnered with Health Advances to conduct one of the most comprehensive analyses of data for populations that are ineligible for screening. This research drew from 80 peer-reviewed studies, real-world electronic medical records, insurance claims, government datasets, and key opinion leader interviews.
The researchers analyzed groups of people that may have an elevated risk for lung cancer compared to the general population. The team focused on nine high-priority groups, including individuals with tobacco exposure outside of current guidelines, people with a personal history of cancer or a family history of lung cancer, people with known environmental exposures, and Asian women who never smoked. The study quantified the lung cancer risk for each group and assessed the data that exists to support their inclusion in the screening guidelines.
One of the study’s key findings, presented at the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer, concluded that there is sufficient evidence today to support expanding guidelines to include people who quit smoking more than 15 years ago. This change alone could add nearly 5 million people to the pool of those eligible for screening—a critical step toward catching lung cancer earlier, when it is most treatable.
The research also highlights other opportunities: better outreach to high-risk groups, exploration of risk-based screening models, and the integration of emerging technologies, such as blood-based tests, into screening programs. These innovations could make it possible to identify cancer risk in moderate-risk populations who are currently overlooked.
For the advocacy community, this analysis provides a roadmap for prioritizing key populations for advocacy and further research. By pushing for guideline changes, supporting the adoption of risk-based models, and ensuring equitable access to new technologies, advocates can play a central role in reshaping the future of lung cancer screening. Expanding options for early detection means more early diagnoses, more curative outcomes, and ultimately, more lives saved.
More LUNGevity research from the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer: