Not All Lung Nodules are Cancerous But Follow-up Care is Important

While lung cancer screening can improve survival of lung cancer by 20%, most lung cancers are detected from incidental findings. This occurs when lung nodules are found on imaging while patients are being treated for an unrelated condition. For example, a patient is seen in the emergency room after a car accident and imaging shows a small nodule on the lung. From there, the patient may be advised to follow with their primary care provider or pulmonologist for additional testing.