(Press-News.org) (Barcelona, Spain September 9, 2025, 10:15 a.m. CEST / UTC +2) — Results from the Female Asian Nonsmoker Screening Study (FANSS) highlight the potential value of low-dose CT (LDCT) screening for lung cancer among a growing but underserved population: Asian women with no history of smoking.
The study results were reported today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC).
FANSS is the first known lung cancer screening program in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to a non-smoking population. The study screened 1000 eligible Asian women ages 40–74 using LDCT and assessed lung cancer detection rates based on Lung-RADS classifications.
Asian American women who have never smoked have been found to be twice as likely to develop lung cancer as white women in the same smoking category, according to previously reported research.
“Our findings show a lung cancer detection rate of 1.3%, which is higher than that reported in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) for high-risk smokers,” said Dr. Elaine Shum, from NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center. “These results support the need to reconsider screening guidelines to include never-smoking high-risk groups.”
Dr. Shum and her team reported several significant results:
Lung-RADS distribution: 0 (2.2%), 1 (38.8%), 2 (52.1%), 3 (4.1%), and 4 (2.8%).
Thirteen participants (1.3%) were diagnosed with invasive lung adenocarcinoma.
Cancer stages at diagnosis: 9 Stage IA, 2 Stage IIB, and 2 Stage IIIB/C.
All patients underwent surgical resection; no lung cancer deaths reported to date.
Additional 14 patients with Lung-RADS 3 or 4 are under further evaluation.
Dr. Shum reported that FANSS builds upon prior work such as the TALENT study in Taiwan and suggests that current U.S. screening guidelines—which are limited to individuals with a smoking history—may overlook high-risk nonsmoking populations.
“With continued follow-up and pending biomarker analysis, FANSS may provide the data needed to expand evidence-based screening recommendations for non-smoking populations,” she said.
About the IASLC:
The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes more than 10,000 lung cancer specialists across all disciplines in over 100 countries, forming a global network working together to conquer lung and thoracic cancers worldwide. The association also publishes the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the primary educational and informational publication for topics relevant to the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of all thoracic malignancies. Visit www.iaslc.org for more information.
About the WCLC:
The WCLC is the world’s largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, attracting nearly 7,000 researchers, physicians, and specialists from more than 100 countries. The goal is to increase awareness, collaboration and understanding of lung cancer, and to help participants implement the latest developments across the globe. The conference will cover a wide range of disciplines and unveil several research studies and clinical trial results. For more information, visit https://wclc.iaslc.org/.
END
FANSS study demonstrates feasibility of U.S.-based lung cancer screening in Asian female nonsmokers
2025-09-09
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