[Lung cancer screening is not the right answer, a ban on smoking is]. / Bevolkingsonderzoek naar longkanker is niet het juiste antwoord.

ABSTRACT

The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport of the Netherlands has asked the Dutch Health Council an advice on lung cancer screening. But even the target group will gain little yearly approximately 90 fewer lung cancer deaths of over 8,000 due to smoking, and most if not all of them will die as quickly from other consequences of smoking. Moreover, lung cancer screening harms the population screened, as well as our society and health care providers. So how to stop this public health problem? Ban smoking. The health effects are much wider than lung cancer and start immediately. After 10 years, lung cancer risk of ex-smokers will be halved. After a few decades, over 8,000 people would not die from lung cancer anymore each year and, on top of that, over 10,000 less persons would die from the many other consequences of smoking. So only banning smoking is the answer -starting lung cancer screening is not a healthy answer.