Training needed to use mammo for lung cancer awareness

Directors of mammography screening programs are interested in raising awareness among women regarding the benefits of low-dose CT (LDCT) screening for lung cancer, but they need more training, according to a study published February 26 in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

"Additional tools, training, and/or staffing may be necessary to leverage the full potential of reaching women at high risk for lung cancer within the context of mammographic screening," wrote a team led by Jan Eberth, PhD, of the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Even though there's evidence that low-dose CT screening for lung cancer among those at high risk of the disease is beneficial, awareness and uptake of it remain low, Eberth and colleagues noted. The group sought to investigate American College of Radiology (ACR) mammography screening program directors' views about how to raise LDCT screening awareness by identifying women at high risk of lung cancer who participate in routine mammography.

The study consisted of an online survey and telephone interviews with 18 program directors. Key themes included the following:

• Attitudes toward the integration of LDCT screening into a mammography program
• Identifying mammography patients at high risk for lung cancer
• Counseling about LDCT screening
• Increasing awareness and knowledge of LDCT screening

Eberth and colleagues found that, overall, mammography screening program directors were interested in leveraging their programs to educate women about lung cancer screening.

"Overall, mammography program directors recognized the benefits of integrating mammography and LDCT screening and were receptive to educating and referring women for LDCT screening," the group concluded. "However, training and workflow changes are needed to ensure successful implementation."