Study Investigates Targeted Interventions to Improve Lung Cancer Screening Uptake in High-Risk Patients

By Laura Litwin - Last Updated: July 7, 2025

Researchers identified combined interventions and patient navigation as the most effective targeted intervention strategies for increasing lung cancer screening uptake among high-risk patients, according to results from a recent study.

A team of researchers from China conducted the study to “examine the effectiveness of each intervention category” aimed at increasing lung cancer screening uptake rates. The research was published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing.

To gather information on screening rates in high-risk patients with lung cancer, the investigators extracted data from eight databases, including EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Wan Fang Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. The study team also analyzed data from “inception to June 2024.”

Furthermore, two reviewers “independently assessed eligibility, extracted data, and evaluated methodological quality using the Cochrane risk of bias 2.0 tool,” in addition to conducting meta and descriptive analyses.

The study evaluated 13 trials from 12 studies and identified six intervention categories, including online education, patient navigation, shared decision-making, outreach promotion, targeted intervention materials, and combined intervention.

According to the meta-analysis, “lung cancer screening uptake was enhanced among high-risk individuals receiving various interventions (odds ratio [OR], 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-2.62; P=0.02) compared with no intervention or usual care.”

In addition, the subgroup analysis revealed that combined intervention (OR, 3.38; 95% CI, 2.08-5.52; P<0.001) and patient navigation (OR, 3.31; 95% CI, 1.70-6.41; P<0.001) “could be effective strategies to improve lung cancer screening uptake among high-risk individuals.”

In reflecting on the findings, the investigators noted that the combined intervention and patient navigation demonstrated the most effectiveness in increasing lung cancer screening uptake among high-risk patients.

“However, optimal design, tailoring, and delivery methods remain unclear due to the limited number of studies included and require further research,” the study authors concluded.