Table 2. Essential components of a high-quality lung cancer screening program as endorsed by an American College of Chest Physicians and American Thoracic Society Policy Statement (10).
| Lung cancer screening programs should collect data on all enrolled subjects related to the risk of developing lung cancer |
| The lung cancer screening program must confirm that there is a policy about the frequency and duration of screening that is in keeping with the USPSTF recommendation |
| A low-dose lung cancer screening CT scan should be performed based on the ACR-STR technical specifications. A lung cancer screening program should collect data to ensure the mean radiation dose is in compliance with ACR-STR recommendations |
| A lung cancer screening program should have a policy about the size and characteristics of a nodule to be used to label the test as positive. A lung cancer screening program should collect data about the number, size, and characteristics of lung nodules from positive tests |
| A lung cancer screening program should use a structured reporting system, such as Lung-RADS, and screening programs should collect data about compliance with the use of the structured reporting system |
| A lung cancer screening program must; Include clinicians with expertise in the management of lung nodules and the treatment of lung cancer, have an approach to communication with the ordering provider and/or patient, have a means to track nodule management, and collect data related to outcomes from surveillance, diagnostic imaging, surgical and nonsurgical biopsies of screen-detected lung nodules |
| A lung cancer screening program must be integrated with a smoking cessation program, and the program should collect data related to the smoking cessation interventions that are offered to active smokers enrolled in the screening program |
| A lung cancer screening program should educate providers so that they can adequately discuss the benefits and harms of screening with their patients |
| To ensure that a lung cancer screening program is maintaining quality standards, data collection and periodic review must occur |
USPSTF, United States Preventive Services Task Force; ACR-STR, American College of Radiology-Society of Thoracic Radiology.