The Importance of Participating in Lung Cancer Screening Day

Since 2022, the ACR and its collaborative partners, the American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable, GO2 for Lung Cancer and the Radiology Health Equity Coalition, have been a driving force behind National Lung Cancer Screening Day. The campaign asks screening facilities to open their doors on the second Saturday in November for low-dose CT (LDCT) lung screening. For 2025, mark your calendars for Nov. 8 to get involved with participating practices, healthcare providers, patients and patient advocates. To learn more about how to participate, the ACR Bulletin sat down with Tiffany Gowen, MHA, FSBI, director of the ACR Commission on Patient- and Family-Centered Care.

What are your goals for the fourth annual Lung Cancer Screening Day?

Lung Cancer Screening Day was created with three main goals in mind:

1. Raise awareness of early cancer detection through regular lung cancer screening.
2. Reduce access disparities.
3. Fight stigma.

Last year, 45% of registrants were new to Lung Cancer Screening Day. This year, we would like to see past participants re-register and see new participants join. The yearly registration is important to show that sites continue to support Lung Cancer Screening Day and that their participation in previous years has paid off.

When I give talks about Lung Cancer Screening Day, I always stress that there is not just one way to participate. More importantly, there is no wrong way to participate in this initiative. If a site doesn’t have the ability or bandwidth to open on a Saturday, there are other opportunities to get involved, such as doing an event the week leading up to Lung Cancer Screening Day or hosting a Lunch and Learn session to educate their staff or patients. We highly encourage practices, free-standing screening facilities, patients, caregivers, survivors, patient organizations, advocacy groups and anyone else who has a tie to the lung cancer community to participate in any way they can.

 

What kind of feedback have you received over the years to help you improve Lung Cancer Screening Day?

Each year our team sends out a post-Lung Cancer Screening Day survey to all registrants so we can receive feedback on how we can help support their participation next year. The survey is also an opportunity for participants, screening facilities, patients and advocacy organizations to show their impact in the communities they serve.

Participants last year were asking for an easier way to see who was participating in their specific state. We listened and this year, we are launching an interactive map on the Lung Cancer Screening Day’s website for states to be able to click on their state to see who and which type of facility has registered in their state.

We also receive positive feedback about our fully customizable materials, which include a communication toolkit and appointment posters, to name a few. Reading all the post-survey feedback is crucial to our success because it helps us evolve.

What screening opportunities are presented when practices stay open for Lung Cancer Screening Day?

In our feedback survey, there has been significant data that showed centers increased overall screening appointments by opening on a Saturday. Additionally, due to the increased appointments, some of these centers have decided to offer weekend appointments on a monthly or quarterly basis to patients. By adding a weekend option, you're providing an additional opportunity for a patient to get screened without having to take time off work during the week.

How can ACR members get involved in this initiative?

Lung Cancer Screening Day is a powerful opportunity for ACR members to step out from behind the scenes and show patients that radiologists are more than just the ones who read the exams — they are active, compassionate partners in their patients’ care. By being present at screening events, greeting patients, answering questions and offering brief educational insights, radiologists can humanize their role and build trust. Engaging with the community — through talks, Q&A sessions or simply being visible — reinforces that radiologists play a critical part in early detection and survivorship. Collaborating with primary care providers, nurse navigators and other specialists also strengthens the patient care team and helps streamline the screening and follow-up process.

Beyond the event itself, radiologists can use social media channels, local media outlets and advocacy efforts to raise awareness about the importance of low-dose CT screening to detect lung cancer and offer solutions to the barriers patients may face. Sharing ACR’s patient-friendly resources, supporting smoking cessation programs and demystifying the screening process can make a lasting impact.

When radiologists step forward to connect with patients directly, they reshape public perception — proving they are not just experts in imaging, but vital, visible leaders in the fight against lung cancer.

Interview by Alexander Utano, associate editor, ACR Press