A recent article about lung cancer screenings has relevance for Hawaii. While Hawaii boasts the lowest rates in the U.S., lung cancer still the leading cause of cancer deaths in the state. Improving the low screening rate for high-risk heavy smokers and addressing disparities should be a priority.

There are also people at risk who will go undetected amidst an epidemic of lung cancer in non-smokers, which has a higher occurrence in women of Asian ancestry. For this type of cancer, genetic testing most often leads to treatment with highly effective oral therapy. However, there are no mandatory insurance coverages or guidelines for screening, and the incidence of non-smoking lung cancer is not tracked in statistics. Hawaii may be the best place in the nation to begin to tackle this problem.

Howard Streicher

Manoa

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