Researchers Explore the Impact of Geographic Accessibility on Lung Cancer Screening

By: Joshua D. Madera, MD
Posted: Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Efforts to identify factors impacting low-dose CT-based lung cancer screening in an urban population have focused on the association between the projected travel time and completion rates, according to a study published in JNCCN–Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. However, additional studies examining other potential influential factors are warranted, since no significant association was revealed, explained David E. Gerber, MD, of UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, and colleagues.

“Transportation-related challenges represent a potential barrier to accessing health-care services, particularly for older adults and underserved populations,” the investigators noted. “Low-dose CT completion rates were lower among Black individuals.”

Data were collected from 2,287 patients recommended to complete low-dose CT-based lung cancer screening. Projected travel times were determined from the patient’s home to the screening location using multiple forms of map-based software. Travel times were calculated based on the use of a private vehicle or public transportation. Moreover, to account for the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel time, analyses were performed based on prepandemic, intrapandemic, and postpandemic periods.

The study findings revealed median travel times of 17 and 67 minutes from the patient’s home to the low-dose CT-based lung cancer screening facility by private vehicle and public transportation, respectively. In addition, patients who completed the lung cancer screening and traveled via public transportation had a significantly shorter travel time (16 minutes) than did patients who did not complete the screening (66 minutes). This same difference was not noted when comparing patients who traveled via private vehicle. Furthermore, multivariate analysis did not demonstrate a significant association between the completion of low-dose CT-based lung cancer screening and projected travel time via public transportation (odds ratio [OR] = 1.14) or private vehicle (OR = 1.01).

Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit jnccn.org.

JNCCN–Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

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