Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening “significantly reduces” lung cancer mortality among patients within non-risk-based populations, according to recent data presented during the 2026 European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC).
A team of researchers from China conducted the study and presented their findings during a proffered paper session at ELCC 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The investigators explained that the “efficacy” of LDCT screening “has been established in selected populations in Western countries,” but emphasized that “the distinct epidemiological characteristics” of lung cancer among patients in Asian countries suggests that “the benefits of LDCT screening in non-risk-based populations warrant further investigation.”
The “prospective, interventional, non-randomized controlled study” included a “screened cohort” and a “comparison cohort.” The investigators explained that the screened cohort included patients who met eligibility criteria and were enrolled in the Lung-Care project, while patients in the comparison cohort were “individuals from the same geographic region and age range who did not undergo screening and served as a naturally occurring control cohort.”
The study team analyzed mortality outcomes through the Cox proportional hazards model and compared overall survival (OS) between “screen-detected and non-screen-detected” cases of lung cancer. They also performed subgroup analyses among scree-detected cases of lung cancer “according to conventional lung cancer risk factors.”
According to the results, “during a median follow-up of 7 years, screening was associated with a significantly lower risk of lung cancer deaths” (hazard ratio [HR], 0.45; 95% CI, 0.32-0.65, P<0.001). The investigators also reported results across “sex-stratified” subgroup analyses, which showed that “screening was associated with reduced mortality in both men (HR 0.55; 95% CI 0.36-0.83; P=0.004) and women (HR 0.28; 95% CI 0.13-0.60; P<0.001).”
Furthermore, screen-detected cases among patients with lung cancer “demonstrated significantly better overall survival compared with those detected in the comparison cohort (HR 0.13; 95% CI 0.09-0.19; P<0.001).” However, patients in the screened cohort categorized as “high risk” per National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and Chinese guidelines, “had significantly poorer survival (P<0.001).”
In reflecting on the impact of additional factors, such as heavy smoking or a history of COPD, the investigators highlighted that both factors were “each associated with worse outcomes (P<0.001), whereas no significant associations were observed for other factors such as toxic exposures or a personal or family history of cancer.”
“These findings highlight the potential benefit of extending screening beyond current risk-based eligibility,” the investigators concluded.