LUNG CANCER SCREENING

Missouri had the 7th-highest rate of new lung and bronchus cancer diagnoses among states in 2019, and the 9th-highest rate of lung and bronchus cancer deaths, according to the CDC. The five-year survival rate (FYSR) of lung cancer is 56% for diagnoses that occur early, but around 5% for lung cancer diagnoses that occur once the cancer is advanced. Early detection of lung cancer is crucial for increasing the likelihood of survival. 

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The Midwest Health Initiative (MHI) utilized its commercial claims data set representing care received by about two million people in Missouri and the bordering metropolitan areas to assess trends in lung cancer screening and diagnosis in Missouri and to identify opportunities for action to improve rates of lung cancer screening, early diagnosis, and health outcomes for Missouri residents diagnosed with lung cancer. This report serves to provide policy leaders and decision makers with insights on lung cancer among Missouri’s population that can be used to inform data-driven decisions and initiatives to improve health, health care quality, and health care value in our region.