Overview

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine screening for lung, breast, colorectal and cervical cancers using specific age and risk–based tests.
• Models show these screenings reduce cancer mortality by 13% for lung tumors, up to 30% for breast cancers, 79–85% for colorectal cancers and 80–87% for cervical cancers.
• Health insurers in the U.S. are required to cover these Task Force–endorsed screenings without cost-sharing for eligible individuals.
• Despite coverage mandates, only 17% of eligible adults undergo annual low-dose CT scans for lung cancer compared with 65% who complete breast and colorectal screenings.
• Spain’s Cassandra pilot detected 3.2% of lung cancers at an early stage and plans to expand its program nationwide by September.