The American College of Radiology (ACR) is urging Aetna to update its lung cancer screening policy to reflect guidelines recently released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
In a letter dated April 1, the ACR, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer asked the insurer to adjust its policy in line with the USPSTF's changes, which include a lowered screening start age (from 55 to 50) and a smoking pack-year eligibility of 20 pack years rather than 30.
"Given the impact the updated USPSTF recommendations could have on the population's lung cancer diagnosis and death rate prevalence, we request that Aetna update its [low-dose CT] lung cancer screening coverage policy immediately to save the largest number of lives possible," the group wrote.
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
