The Case for Lung Cancer Screening: What Nurses Need to Know

Background: Lung cancer screening with low-dose helical computed tomography (LDCT) can improve high-risk individuals’ chances of being diagnosed at an earlier stage and increase survival.

Objectives: The aims of this article are to present the risk factors associated with the development of lung cancer, identify patients at high risk for lung cancer qualifying for LDCT screening, and understand the importance of early lung cancer detection through the use of LDCT screening.

Methods: PubMed and CINAHL® databases were searched with key words lung cancer screening to identify full-text academic articles from 2004–2014. This resulted in 529 articles from PubMed and 195 from CINAHL. PubMed offered suggestions for additional relevant journal articles. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines also provided substantial evidence-based information.

Findings: Nurses need to provide support, education, and resources for patients undergoing lung cancer screening.