Prevention of lung cancer: the key is to stop smoking.

OBJECTIVES

To review current approaches to primary prevention of lung cancer and to screening for precarcinogenic or preclinical asymptomatic disease.

DATA SOURCES

Research studies, review articles, and government reports relating to prevention of lung cancer and strategies for smoking cessation.

CONCLUSIONS

Because almost 90% of lung cancer cases can be attributed to tobacco, reduction of smoking is the appropriate focus of lung cancer prevention efforts. Lung cancer chemoprevention remains an experimental approach and large scale screening for lung cancer is of limited value.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Nurses are in a strategic position to prevent smoking initiation and to influence successful smoking cessation through education, information on the multiple modalities to assist behavioral change, and ongoing reinforcement.