Unexpected findings on lung cancer CT scans may point to other non-lung cancers

When doctors review diagnostic medical scans for lung cancer, they sometimes spot abnormalities unrelated to the lungs. New research shows that some of those abnormalities could be signs of other undiagnosed cancers. The study, led by researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health, analyzed lung screening data from more than 26,000 people who took part in the landmark National Lung Screening Trial. This large federal study helped establish computerized tomography (CT) scans as a standard way to screen people at high risk for lung cancer—especially longtime smokers.