Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Impact of Lung Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review.
Most economic evaluations support lung cancer screening as cost-effective.
Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Impact of Lung Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review.
Clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of early detection of lung cancer (lung cancer); however, the implementation of national lung cancer screening programs remains under consideration.
This systematic review aims to comprehensively synthesize the health economic evidence on lung cancer screening and examine the methodological challenges.
We searched six databases from inception to July 31, 2025.
Ninety-five articles were identified, representing 93 full economic evaluations and nine BIAs.
Seventy-nine full economic evaluations supported the cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening, while five indicated it was not cost-effective.
Seventy studies evaluated low-dose computed tomography (low-dose computed tomography) screening compared with no screening.
All BIAs assessed an low-dose computed tomography-based screening program.
Our review suggests that low-dose computed tomography screening is generally cost-effective in high-risk populations, although implementing lung cancer screening programs may entail a substantial budgetary impact.
Emerging technologies, novel therapies, and combined screening have the potential to improve screening efficiency.
Future economic evaluations are needed to assess these advances, while addressing existing methodological challenges to improve alignment between evidence.