Risk Perception Among a Lung Cancer Screening Population

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Oncology
• Public Health

Background:

• Lung cancer screening programs require high-risk, willing participants.
• Patient risk perception influences engagement with screening and smoking cessation.
• Understanding risk perception is key for effective lung cancer screening initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify factors associated with lung cancer risk perception.
• Examine the link between perceived and calculated lung cancer risk.
• Assess the relationship between risk perception and smoking cessation intent.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer (PanCan) Study.
• Recruitment of current/former smokers aged 50-75 with at least 2% 6-year lung cancer risk.
• Use of baseline questionnaires for risk perception and worry, with cumulative logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Higher perceived lung cancer risk correlated positively with calculated risk (P=.032).
• Factors like younger age, former smoker status, respiratory symptoms, lower FEV1, COPD, and family history were linked to higher perceived risk.
• Risk perception, but not calculated risk, showed a positive association with lung cancer worry and intent to quit smoking.

Conclusions:

• Individual lung cancer risk perception correlates with calculated risk in a screening population.
• Lung cancer screening awareness efforts may be more effective by targeting factors associated with higher risk perception.
• Leveraging patient worry may be less impactful for screening program promotion than addressing risk perception directly.