Why are there no recommended screening tests for lung cancer?

Why are there no recommended screening tests for lung cancer?

Jay M. Lee (Surgical Director, Thoracic Oncology Program, UCLA) gives expert video advice on: How is lung cancer diagnosed?; What are some common non-surgical procedures used to diagnose lung cancer?; Can waiting for a lung cancer diagnosis cause a dangerous delay in treatment? and more...

There are currently no endorsed official screening programs for lung cancer, and this is based on four major randomized studies in the 1970s and 80s, which showed no reduction in mortality (or death) attributed to lung cancer when they used sputum samples or x-rays to see if this would improve patients' survival. However, all four of those studies were limited, and there is a great deal of controversy and problems with how those studies were designed. As a result, currently there is a large national lung cancer screening trial, which has enrolled over 50,000 patients and many physicians eagerly await the results of that study. This study utilized chest CT scans which is a far better and more accurate study than chest x-rays, and of course, sputum samples. In practice, many physicians screen patients for lung cancer if they are high risk. But this is individual physician practices and often practiced by many physicians out there, but officially, none of the major organizations currently endorse a set screening protocol.