Low-dose computed tomography screening
Intervention7 papers7 findings
One human study reports high early-stage cancer and curative treatment proportions among lung cancers detected by low-dose computed tomography screening. Another reports increased overdiagnosis in women but not men during 2018–2021; a review describes increased early-stage detection in Chinese screening programmes.
- Human trial1
- Humans1
- In silico4
Outcomes
3Lung cancer overdiagnosis
no changein humans1upin humans1+2.7%Low certainty
1 study
Lung cancer overdiagnosis
no changein humans1upin humans1+2.7%Low certainty
Low-dose computed tomography screening has no effect on lung cancer overdiagnosis in humans.
Humansbetween 2018 and 2021males
Trends in lung cancer incidence and mortality and the potential for overdiagnosis associated with computed tomography screening across 21 countries on six continents · Journal of thoracic disease · 28 Aug 2026
Low-dose computed tomography screening increases lung cancer overdiagnosis in humans (2.71%).
Humansbetween 2018 and 2021females
Trends in lung cancer incidence and mortality and the potential for overdiagnosis associated with computed tomography screening across 21 countries on six continents · Journal of thoracic disease · 28 Aug 2026
Early-stage lung cancer detection
upin humans1
1 study
Early-stage lung cancer detection
upin humans1
Low-dose computed tomography screening increases early-stage lung cancer detection in humans.
ReviewChinese screening programslung
Lung Cancer Screening Beyond Smoking-Based Eligibility: Evidence, Limits, and Lessons From China · Chest · 5 Oct 2026
Lung adenocarcinoma
downin silico1Very low certainty
1 study
Lung adenocarcinoma
downin silico1Very low certainty
Low-dose computed tomography screening decreases lung adenocarcinoma in silico (14,940 deaths averted).
“Over a lifetime, annual LDCT averted 8,534 lung adenocarcinoma deaths compared with annual CXR and 14,940 deaths compared with no screening.”
In silicoannual LDCT over lifetime compared with no screening in never-smoking Asian womenlifetimefemales
Optimal LDCT screening for never-smoking Asian women using integrated polygenic and environmental risk: a microsimulation modelling study · medRxiv · 21 Aug 2026 · Preprint
Associations
3Curative treatment rate
upin humans1+91%Low certainty
1 study
Curative treatment rate
upin humans1+91%Low certainty
Low-dose computed tomography screening is associated with curative treatment rate in humans (91.1%).
Humansscreen-detected cancers
Risk-based lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography in a Canadian province: Evaluation results of a demonstration project in Quebec, Canada · Journal of medical screening · 17 Sep 2026
Early-stage cancer proportion
upin humans1Low certainty
1 study
Early-stage cancer proportion
upin humans1Low certainty
Low-dose computed tomography screening is associated with early-stage cancer proportion in humans (85.2% in round 1, 84.2% in round 2).
Humansround 1 screen-detected cancers
Risk-based lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography in a Canadian province: Evaluation results of a demonstration project in Quebec, Canada · Journal of medical screening · 17 Sep 2026
Lung cancer detection
upin humans1+1.7%Low certainty
1 study
Lung cancer detection
upin humans1+1.7%Low certainty
Low-dose computed tomography screening is associated with lung cancer detection in humans (1.7%).
Humansround 1 screening
Risk-based lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography in a Canadian province: Evaluation results of a demonstration project in Quebec, Canada · Journal of medical screening · 17 Sep 2026