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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Mar 3.
Published in final edited form as: Ann Intern Med. 2019 Jun 4;171(5):384–386. doi: 10.7326/M18-3617

Table.

Projected Performance of Proposed Risk Thresholds for Selection of Ever-Smokers for CT Lung Cancer Screening Using NHIS 2015 Data*

Criteria Risk Calculator U.S. Ever-Smokers Aged 50-80 y
Screening Efficiency
Screening Harms
Screening Effectiveness
Ever-Smokers Selected (Millions), n (%) Increase vs. USPSTF Guidelines (95% CI), % NNS to Prevent 1 Death Improvement vs. USPSTF Guidelines (95% CI), % False-Positive Results per Prevented Death, n Improvement vs. USPSTF Guidelines (95% CI), % Lung Cancer Deaths Prevented, n Increase vs. USPSTF Guidelines (95% CI), %
USPSTF guidelines§ NA   8.0 (18.1) NA 194 NA 133 NA 41 298 NA

NCCN guidelines (1.3% 6-y lung cancer risk) PLCOM2012 12.6 (28.4) 57 (49 to 64) 222 −14 (−20 to −9) 150 −13 (−18 to −8) 56 528 37 (32 to 41)
Other proposed thresholds

 1.51% 6-y lung cancer risk** PLCOM2012 11.3 (25.5) 41 (34 to 47) 207 −7 (−12 to −1) 141 −6 (−12 to −1) 54 456 32 (28 to 36)

 1.2% 5-y lung cancer death risk†† LCDRAT‡‡   9.0 (20.4) 12 (5 to 20) 168 14 (8 to 19) 119 10 (5 to 15) 53 732 30 (25 to 35)
Thresholds required to screen as many ever-smokers as USPSTF guidelines in 2015 (8.0 million)

 2.19% 6-y lung cancer risk PLCOM2012   8.0 (18.1) 0 (−6 to 6) 169 13 (7 to 19) 119 10 (5 to 15) 47 401 14(11 to 19)

 1.33% 5-y lung cancer death risk LCDRAT‡‡   8.0 (18.1) −1 (−7 to 6) 156 20 (14 to 25) 112 15 (10 to 21) 51 019 24 (19 to 28)

CT = computed tomography; LCDRAT = Lung Cancer Death Risk Assessment Tool; NA = not applicable; NCCN = National Comprehensive Cancer Network; NHIS = National Health Interview Survey; NNS = number needed to screen; PLCOM2012 = Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial Model 2012; USPSTF = U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

*

Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data (1.8% for race, 0.4% for education, 2.9% for body mass index, 0.4% for number of years since quitting, 7.3% for number of cigarettes smoked per day, 0.3% for number of years of smoking, 0.2% for presence of emphysema, and 12.1% for family history of lung cancer).

We estimate there would be 202 442 lung cancer deaths without screening. The number prevented with each risk threshold/model combination was estimated using the LCDRAT.

Obtained using the delta method.

§

Guidelines recommend annual screening with low-dose CT for adults aged 55-80 y with a 30-pack-year smoking history and ≥15 y since quitting.

1.34% 6-y lung cancer risk according to the PLCOM2012 was chosen to select the same proportion of ever-smokers as were eligible according to the USPSTF guidelines in the PLCO (1993-2001) cohort (38%) (4). The NCCN criterion is 1.3% (not 1.34%) 6-y lung cancer risk according to the PLCOM2012.

Reference 5.

**

Chosen to select 35% of ever-smokers at highest risk in the PLCO (1993-2001) cohort (4).

††

Selects the same number of ever-smokers who were eligible according to the USPSTF guidelines in the 2010-2012 NHIS (9.0 million).

‡‡

Reference 2.