Journal of the National Cancer Institute
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J. Natl. Cancer Inst. · Nov 2018
Lifetime Smoking History and Risk of Lung Cancer: Results From the Framingham Heart Study.
The relative risk of lung cancer decreases with years since quitting (YSQ) smoking, but risk beyond 25 YSQ remains unclear. Current lung cancer screening guidelines, which exclude smokers with more than 15 YSQ, may not detect lung cancers in this population. ⋯ Among heavy former smokers, lung cancer risk drops within five YSQ relative to continuing smokers, yet it remains more than threefold higher than never smokers after 25 YSQ. Four of ten lung cancers occurred in former smokers with more 15 YSQ, beyond the screening window of the current guideline.