FANSS Study Confirms Feasibility of Lung Cancer Screening in U.S. for Asian Female Nonsmokers
The FANSS study reveals the promise of low-dose CT scans in detecting lung cancer among Asian female nonsmokers, challenging current screening guidelines and highlighting the need for more inclusive criteria.
Recent findings from the Female Asian Nonsmoker Screening Study (FANSS) underscore the potential effectiveness of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans in detecting lung cancer among Asian women who have never smoked. This pioneering research, presented at the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, is significant as it focuses on a previously underserved group. The study involved screening 1,000 eligible Asian women aged 40 to 74 with LDCT, assessing lung cancer detection rates based on Lung-RADS classifications.
Previous research indicates that Asian American women with no prior history of smoking are twice as likely to develop lung cancer compared to white women within the same smoking category, highlighting the importance of screening in this demographic.
Dr. Elaine Shum from NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center reported a lung cancer detection rate of 1.3%, surpassing the rate seen in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) among high-risk smokers. Among the 13 participants diagnosed with invasive lung adenocarcinoma, most cases were early stage (Stage IA), with two cases at Stage IIB and IIIB/C. All affected patients underwent surgical resection, and there have been no reported deaths related to lung cancer in the study so far. Additionally, 14 other participants with Lung-RADS 3 or 4 are under further evaluation.
This research builds upon earlier work like Taiwan’s TALENT study and suggests that current U.S. screening guidelines—focused mainly on individuals with a smoking history—may overlook high-risk nonsmoking populations. Dr. Shum emphasized that ongoing follow-up and biomarker analysis could support expanding screening recommendations to include non-smoking individuals at high risk.
The findings highlight the importance of reevaluating lung cancer screening strategies to better serve diverse populations and address existing disparities. As lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, studies like FANSS are crucial for guiding future screening policies.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-fanss-feasibility-based-lung-cancer.html
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