Study Shows that Routine CT Scans Reduce Cancer Deaths

Side note: A large study, designed in part by Ned Patz, a professor of radiology at Duke University Medical Center, has proven that CT scans given to smokers and ex-smokers can reduce lung cancer deaths by as much as 20%. The study also found that early CT scans reduce death from other reasons by 7%. The routine use of CT scans by doctors is often attributed to defensive medicine. This study reveals that routine CT scans serve a greater purpose than shielding doctors from medical malpractice lawsuits. There is no doubt that routine CT scans save lives.

By Liz Szabo
USA TODAY

For the first time, a large study shows that using CT scans to screen smokers and ex-smokers for lung cancer can reduce lung cancer deaths by 20% —
potentially saving thousands of lives — by catching lethal tumors at an earlier, more treatable stage, according to a study released Thursday.

Nearly 160,000 Americans a year die from lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths in the world, according to the American Cancer Society.

In addition to reducing lung cancer deaths, the screenings also reduced deaths from any cause by 7%, according to the National Cancer Institute,
which funded the eight-year, $250 million study of 53,000 people older than 55.

Read the full story regarding the study over at the USA Today