National Lung Screening Trial

The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) was a large research study that tested whether early lung cancer detection using low-dose CT scans could save lives. It involved high-risk heavy smokers aged 55 to 74, who were randomly assigned to receive either a standard chest X-ray or a low-dose CT scan. The results showed that screening with low-dose CT scans reduced lung cancer deaths by about 20% compared to X-rays. This study provided strong evidence that targeted lung screening can identify cancer early, improving survival chances for those at high risk.