Purpose: With the recent results of the National Lung Screening Trial showing reduced lung cancer mortality with screening, individuals at higher risk of lung cancer due to smoking may be interested in being screened. A goal of this study was to determine the perceived risk of lung cancer susceptibility and association of this perceived risk with interest in screening in individuals with a substantial smoking history.
Methods: Participants of the nationally representative Knowledge Networks panel who were at increased risk of lung cancer due to cigarette smoking were surveyed. The surveys included questions on perceived risk of having or developing lung cancer, interest in being screened for lung cancer, and willingness to pay for screening, knowledge of asymptomatic illness and cancer worry.
Results: The sample included 210 participants with an average age of 60.7±8.5, pack year smoking history of 40.0±20.1, 52% female, 25.1% African American, and 28.5% Hispanic. The figure shows results from questions on perceived risk of lung cancer; both questions with categorical response options, and questions using a sliding scale from 0-100% to measure responses. 27.6% were very or quite interested in being screened for lung cancer; or 2.8 (±1.3) on a 5 point Likert scale. 50% were somewhat likely or more to pursue any time of lung cancer screening test. Average maximum willingness to pay for test was $151.92 (±163.9).
Correlations of self-perceived risk of lung cancer and interest in screening were highly significantly positively associated (p<0.0001; rho=0.30-0.39).
Conclusions: Overall interest in lung cancer screening in a population of individuals at higher risk for lung cancer due to cigarette smoking was relatively low, but was significantly associated with perceived risk of having or developing lung cancer.