Results from a large clinical trial show that annual screening with low-dose spiral CT (LDCT) scans reduces the risk of lung cancer death by 20 percent, compared to annual chest X-rays, in current and former heavy smokers.

The National Lung Screening Trial, funded by the National Cancer Institute, compared LDCT scanning to standard chest X-rays in this group of people at high risk for developing lung cancer. This finding marks the first-ever lung cancer screening approach that has been shown to reduce lung cancer mortality. The debate about the appropriate use of LDCT screening for lung cancer among the general population, however, continues.

Based on new studies demonstrating its effectiveness, the American Cancer Society releases guidelines recommending routine MRI screening for women at increased risk of developing breast cancer, in combination with standard mammography. MRI is more sensitive than mammography for finding breast lesions, particularly in women with dense breast tissue that is difficult to assess using traditional mammography. Routine MRI is not recommended for the general population of women (those not at increased risk), due to its high cost and the likelihood that it will detect abnormalities that are not cancerous.

Ongoing results from a large clinical trial – called the ASCUS-LSIL Triage Study (ALTS) – provide important guidance on managing the mild abnormalities that often show up on Pap tests. These findings help doctors more accurately determine which women need further procedures, such as colposcopy (office procedure using a device that enables a physician to closely examine the cervix for abnormalities) and biopsy to detect pre-cancer or cancer, and which women can be spared from these procedures.