Who Should Be Screened for Lung Cancer?
October 23, 2026
You don’t have to wait for symptoms to talk with your healthcare provider about lung cancer screening. For people at higher risk, screening can help find lung cancer earlier, when treatment may be more effective.
Here’s how to find out whether screening may be right for you, what to expect, and how to get started.
Is Lung Cancer Screening Right for Me?
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends an annual low-dose CT scan for adults who meet all three of these criteria:
- Age: You are 50 to 80 years old.
- Smoking history: You currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years.
- Amount smoked: You have a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years.
What does 20 pack-years mean? Smoking one pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years adds up to 20 pack-years.
Your provider can help calculate your smoking history and discuss whether screening is appropriate for your overall health.
What Happens During Screening?
Lung cancer screening uses a low-dose CT scan to take detailed pictures of your lungs. You lie on a table while the scanner takes images using a small amount of radiation. The scan itself takes only a few minutes and does not hurt.
Your healthcare provider will explain your results and any recommended next steps. Screening is generally repeated each year while you remain eligible.
Learn more in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guide to lung cancer screening.
What If My Scan Finds Something?
An abnormal result does not automatically mean cancer. Your provider may recommend another scan or additional testing to understand the finding.
If a tissue sample is needed, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) physicians may use robotic bronchoscopy to reach small or hard-to-reach areas of the lungs. This technology helps physicians collect samples that can be tested for cancer.
Bronchoscopy is a follow-up diagnostic procedure. It does not replace the low-dose CT scan used for screening.
What Are the Benefits and Risks of Screening?
Screening can help detect lung cancer earlier. It also has risks, including:
- Additional testing for findings that turn out not to be cancer.
- Finding cancers that would never have caused health problems.
- Exposure to radiation from repeated scans.
Your provider can help you weigh these benefits and risks before deciding whether to get screened.
How Can TMH Help if I Need Further Care?
At the Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center, specialists work together to help patients understand their diagnosis and treatment options.
Through TMH’s Thoracic Oncology Clinic, lung specialists, surgeons and other cancer care specialists review cases together and recommend an individualized care plan. A thoracic oncology navigator helps coordinate appointments, testing and procedures.
Explore lung cancer care at TMH to learn more about available services.
How Do I Get Started?
Contact your primary care provider to discuss your age, smoking history and whether screening is right for you. If screening is recommended, your provider can help arrange the next steps.
Before your appointment, write down:
- The total number of years you smoked.
- The average number of packs you smoked each day.
- When you quit, if applicable.
Check with your insurance plan about screening coverage and any costs for follow-up testing.
Screening is intended for people without symptoms. If you notice new or persistent changes in your health, contact your provider rather than waiting for a screening appointment.
To learn more about lung cancer care at TMH, visit TMH.ORG/LungCancer.
Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare is becoming FSU Health. Learn more at TMH.ORG/FSUHealth
