Read Time: 3 minutes
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, yet it's also one of the most treatable when caught early. Nationally recommended screening guidelines are clear: If you're aged 50 or older, have a history of heavy smoking (around a pack a day for 20 years), and currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years, a low-dose CT scan could save your life.
So why are lung cancer screening rates still so low鈥攅specially in Utah?
Why Aren鈥檛 More People Getting Screened?
A from the American Lung Association, based on 2024 data, shows that only 12% of eligible Utahns are getting screened for lung cancer, putting Utah 45th in the nation for screening rates.
That may come as a surprise. After all, Utah boasts some of the lowest smoking rates in the country. But low overall smoking rates don鈥檛 tell the full story. According to public health experts, several factors may be keeping eligible Utahns from getting screened鈥攅ven those who are at high risk.
A history of stigma
鈥淲e know from patient conversations that shame can be a real barrier,鈥 says Gabriela Silva, CHES, a community health educator at Huntsman Cancer Institute. 鈥淢any people who鈥檝e smoked鈥攅specially in a culture that strongly discourages it鈥攁re hesitant to discuss their history with a provider.鈥
鈥淲e never want shame to stand in the way of saving a life,鈥 says Chakravarthy Reddy, MD, investigator and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at the . 鈥淪creening is not about blame. It鈥檚 about giving people the best chance at early detection鈥攁nd early treatment that works.鈥
Gaps in health data
Sometimes a provider simply doesn鈥檛 know that their patient is eligible. Smoking history might not be collected, or it might be recorded in a part of the medical record that isn鈥檛 reviewed during routine care.
Low awareness
Lung cancer screening is still relatively new, and many patients鈥攁nd even some providers鈥攄on鈥檛 know it鈥檚 available or who qualifies.
And there鈥檚 another critical point. While smoking remains the leading cause of lung cancer, it鈥檚 not the only one. An estimated 1 in 3 Utah homes has dangerous levels of radon, a radioactive gas that seeps into homes through the ground. You can鈥檛 see or smell it鈥攂ut long-term exposure can significantly increase lung cancer risk.
For people exposed to radon or other risk factors who don鈥檛 meet the standard screening criteria, lung cancer could go undetected until symptoms appear鈥攁nd by then, it鈥檚 often harder to treat.
Steps Toward Better Screening鈥攁nd Better Outcomes
That's why improving how and when patients are identified for screening is so important.
At Huntsman Cancer Institute, physicians and data scientists recently implemented a digital tool that automatically flags patients who meet screening guidelines in their electronic health records. That tool increased the number of people receiving recommended lung cancer screenings鈥攆rom 7% to 24%鈥攊n just one year.
鈥淐atching lung cancer early can mean the difference between a cure and a crisis,鈥 adds Reddy. 鈥淭he screening itself takes minutes. But those minutes could add years to someone鈥檚 life.鈥
It鈥檚 a promising step forward. But more work remains.
To protect more people from lung cancer, here are some suggested steps:
- Encourage open conversations about smoking history, without stigma or shame.
- Improve how health records track risk factors like tobacco use.
- Raise awareness that screening is safe, quick, and potentially lifesaving.
- Expand efforts to identify people at risk due to radon exposure or other environmental factors.
If you or someone you know might be eligible for lung cancer screening, talk with your health care provider鈥攐r speak with someone at Huntsman Cancer Institute by calling 801-581-7840.