New lung cancer screening guidelines recommend annual scans but for people over 55 who are current or former heavy smokers.
The new guidelines are supported by the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and recommend screening involving low-dose CT scans, which are a special kind of X-ray that can detect early stage lung cancer.
The guidance is based on a review of evidence including a large National Cancer Institute study involving more than 53,000 people.
The new advice applies only to people aged between 55 and 74 with a history of smoking at least one cigarette pack daily for 30 years or two packs for 15 years. The risks of screening younger or older smokers or non-smokers outweigh the benefits, according to the new guidelines.