The proportion of lung cancer patients attending UK lung cancer clinics who would have been eligible for low-dose CT screening

The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) demonstrated that low-dose CT (LDCT) screening reduced lung cancer mortality by 20% [1]. Lung cancer screening was subsequently recommended by the United States Preventative Services Taskforce for patients at high risk of lung cancer [2], but European nations have awaited the results of the Dutch-Belgian NELSON trial [3] before committing to national programmes. The initial findings from NELSON, presented recently at the World Conference on Lung Cancer [4], appear to confirm the reduction in lung cancer mortality, and will increase the impetus for implementation in Europe. A European position statement on lung cancer screening identified specific actions required prior to systematic LDCT screening [5]. These include the development of a risk stratification approach to identify the population for lung cancer screening, and recognition that harm-to-benefit considerations make it unethical to screen low-risk patients. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: Dr. Gracie has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Kennedy has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Esterbrook has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Smith has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Blaxill has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Ameri has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Rodger has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Robson has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Paramasivam has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Naseer has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Smith has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Ellames has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Hawramy has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Callister has nothing to disclose.