Lung Cancer Screening: How False Positives Impact Patients Over Time
Official title: Lung Cancer Screening: Cumulative Risk and Multilevel Impact of False Positive Findings
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11357614 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how often false positives happen in lung cancer screening and how they affect patients, clinicians, and healthcare systems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | July 18, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $644,175 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA285976-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11357614 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 50 to 80 who are current or former smokers with a significant smoking history and are participating in annual LDCT screening.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not eligible for lung cancer screening under current guidelines or those not considering annual LDCT may not benefit.
What this research studies
This research will track people who undergo annual low-dose CT scans to see how many experience false-positive results and what factors influence these outcomes. It will examine the emotional, logistical, and medical burdens of follow-up tests and procedures across multiple screening rounds. The goal is to inform better conversations between patients and clinicians and to develop strategies that reduce unnecessary follow-ups while preserving cancer detection. The study uses real-world data from diverse clinical settings to understand the true impact of screening on everyday patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to fewer unnecessary procedures and clearer guidance for patients considering lung cancer screening.
How similar studies have gone: Prior big trials showed screening can reduce mortality, but this project focuses on real-world false positives and is building on that knowledge with contextual data.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Henderson, Louise — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Henderson, Louise
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Digital health strategies to expand lung cancer screening in safety-net clinics
A funded project aims to help low-resource clinics increase the use of lung cancer screening for patients who smoke or are at risk.
-
Integrated approach to lung screening and quitting for African Americans
A multi-level program aims to boost LDCT lung cancer screening uptake and help African American smokers quit, with support from a comprehensive community-focused plan.
-
Population health approach to boost lung cancer screening at community clinics
A large Utah project aims to help community clinics reach more eligible adults to get low-dose CT lung cancer screening.
-
Group-based tobacco treatment for older adults after lung cancer screening
A study tests a group-based tobacco cessation program for older adults who are getting lung cancer screening to help them quit smoking.
-
Personalized Lung Cancer Screening for Veterans
Aimed at improving who gets screened and how lung cancer is diagnosed among Veterans using personalized tools.
-
Proteogenomic framework to improve lung cancer screening with biomarkers
A biomarker-based approach aims to refine LDCT lung cancer screening so more cancers are caught early while reducing unnecessary procedures.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.