Lung cancer screening rates hover around 18% — far below other cancers — but a new blood test may change that. The FIRSTLUNG trial found that primary care clinics with access to the FirstLook Lung blood test had more than double the screening rates compared to usual care. Researchers estimate the approach could save roughly 3,000 lives over five years.
Lung cancer screening is badly underutilized — only about 18% of eligible patients get screened, compared to 65–70% for breast, cervical, and colon cancers. A new randomized trial presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference suggests a blood-based screening test could help close that gap in primary care settings.
The FIRSTLUNG study evaluated the FirstLook Lung blood test across 28 primary care clinics, enrolling nearly 3,000 patients who qualified for low-dose CT (LDCT) screening but weren't receiving it. Clinics with access to the blood test saw significantly higher overall screening rates than those offering only usual care — and, notably, also higher LDCT uptake, suggesting the blood test complements rather than replaces imaging.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With lung cancer remaining a leading cause of cancer death, a blood test that stratifies risk and drives more patients toward timely screening — especially at earlier, more treatable stages — could be a meaningful tool for primary care providers on the front lines of prevention.
