Screening and Early Detection of Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To review current risk factors for lung cancer, identify screening and early detection guidelines while describing new approaches that use genomic technologies.

DATA SOURCES

Published scientific literature, clinical literature, and published lung cancer screening guidelines from the United States and Canada.

CONCLUSION

Nurses are caring for lung cancer patients who, historically, do not live for long periods after diagnosis. Research is revealing promising screening methodologies that can detect lung cancer 1 to 4 years earlier than the current approaches.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Current knowledge about screening for lung cancer is a vital tool for nurses working with persons at high risk for this potentially aggressive and life-threatening malignancy. While old methods remain the standard of care, new detection methods use a variety of genomic-based technologies. These developing approaches emphasize the need for nurses at all levels of practice to have a working knowledge of genetics to educate patients and conference with colleagues.