Roundup: U.S. Lung Cancer Screening Rates Very Low Among Those at High Risk; and More News

Report: U.S. Lung Cancer Screening Rates Among Those at High Risk Remain Extremely Low

A new report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) has found that lung cancer screening rates in the U.S. among those most at risk remain critically low, despite significant progress in reducing cigarette smoking.The ACS states that its inaugural U.S. Tobacco Atlas, released this month (Lung Cancer Awareness Month), underscores a major public health challenge.

While adult cigarette smoking in the U.S. dropped from 42 percent in 1965 to just 11 percent in 2023, the utilization of preventive screening has not kept pace. Researchers found that in 2022, only 18.1 percent of eligible adults—individuals who currently smoke or have a significant smoking history—were up-to-date with recommended lung cancer screenings.

This low rate is particularly troubling because cigarette smoking is the leading risk factor for lung cancer, and early detection is key to improving survival outcomes.

The report also highlights significant regional disparities in screening. The lowest rates are concentrated in Southern states, the very areas that also face the greatest burden of lung cancer cases and deaths. This geographic gap points to larger systemic issues, including limited access to healthcare and a greater need for public health interventions in these communities, the ACS said.

With over 80 percent of all lung cancer deaths attributed to tobacco use, the failure to screen high-risk populations represents a missed opportunity to save lives, the ACS said in a news release. The U.S. Tobacco Atlas “maps tobacco use and control efforts at national and state levels in the U.S., and summarizes and translates scientific evidence into accessible information,” the ACS states.. 

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, but when detected at an early stage, treatment is more likely to be successful. Screening via low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans is recommended for individuals who have a history of heavy smoking, currently smoke, or have quit within the past 15 years.

“Since the landmark 1964 U.S. Surgeon General’s report on tobacco, millions of lives have been saved by tobacco control, but the scale of the epidemic demands our continued attention and support,” said Dr. Nigar Nargis, senior scientific director, tobacco control research at the American Cancer Society and lead editor of the report, in a news release.

ACS lung cancer screening guidelines, updated in 2023, recommend annual screening for adults 50-80 years of age who smoke or used to smoke and have a 20-year or greater "pack-year" smoking history, regardless of quit date. A pack-year is equal to smoking one pack (or about 20 cigarettes) per day for a year.

Learn about lung cancer screenings at Baptist Health South Florida.

New AI Tool on Smartwatches Could Detect Hidden Heart Disease

A new study reveals that a common device, the smartwatch, may soon play a crucial role in identifying serious heart conditions. Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that, when paired with the single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor on a smartwatch, can accurately detect structural heart disease.

The findings by researchers at the Yale School of Medicine were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025.

Structural heart diseases include conditions like a weakened heart pump, damaged valves, or thickened heart muscle. Traditionally, diagnosing these issues requires an echocardiogram—an advanced ultrasound test that is not typically used for routine public screening. This new development could make early detection more accessible to millions of people who already wear smartwatches.

How the Study Worked

To create the AI algorithm, researchers at the Yale School of Medicine used a massive dataset of over 266,000 12-lead ECG recordings from more than 110,000 adults. They trained the AI model to identify signs of structural heart disease using only a single lead from these ECGs, mimicking the data captured by a smartwatch. To ensure the model would work in real-world conditions, they even introduced "noise," or signal interference, into the training data to make the algorithm more robust.

The model was then validated against data from community hospitals and a large population-based study in Brazil. The final step was a prospective study involving 600 participants. Each person recorded a 30-second, single-lead ECG with a smartwatch on the same day they received a heart ultrasound.

Promising Results for Early Detection

The analysis demonstrated the AI model's impressive accuracy. When tested on single-lead ECGs from hospital equipment, the model was 92 percent effective at distinguishing between people with and without structural heart disease. More importantly, when using the ECGs obtained from smartwatches in the real-world study, the performance remained high at 88 percent.

The algorithm showed an 86 percent sensitivity, meaning it correctly identified most people who had heart disease. It also had a 99 percent negative predictive value, indicating it was highly reliable in confirming the absence of disease.

The Future of Heart Health Screening

While a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch cannot replace a comprehensive 12-lead ECG performed in a clinical setting, this AI-powered approach transforms it into a powerful screening tool. The study authors suggest this technology could enable large-scale, early screening for structural heart diseases using devices people already own.

Early detection is critical, as it allows for intervention before conditions progress to cause serious complications or major cardiac events. Although the study had some limitations, such as a small number of participants with the disease, the results are a significant step forward. Researchers plan to evaluate the tool in broader settings to see how it might be integrated into community screening programs, potentially improving preventive care for countless individuals.

New Study Reveals How Alzheimer's Disrupts Brain's Internal Clock

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have uncovered new details about the connection between Alzheimer’s disease and the body's internal clock. A new study published in Nature Neuroscience shows that the amyloid plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's interfere with the daily rhythms of specialized brain cells, potentially offering new avenues for treatment.

It is well-known that Alzheimer’s disease can disrupt a person's daily cycle. Symptoms like restless nights, daytime napping, and late-day confusion, often called "sundowning," are common. These patterns suggest a link to the circadian system, which controls our 24-hour sleep-wake cycle and many other bodily functions. However, the precise nature of this connection was not fully understood.

The new study, conducted in mice, provides significant insight. The research team found that accumulations of amyloid protein in the brain alter the daily activity of hundreds of genes within microglia and astrocytes. These are crucial brain cells; microglia act as the brain's immune responders, clearing away waste, while astrocytes support communication between neurons.

The body’s circadian clock influences the activity of about 20% of all genes in the human genome, telling them when to turn on and off. The study revealed that this natural rhythm is significantly disrupted by the presence of amyloid. The genes affected are largely responsible for helping microglial cells break down and remove waste products from the brain, including the amyloid plaques themselves.

While the disruption did not completely stop these genes from working, it made their activity less coordinated. This loss of synchronicity could impair the brain's ability to clear amyloid efficiently.

Furthermore, the researchers discovered that the presence of amyloid seemed to trigger new, abnormal rhythms in hundreds of other genes that do not typically follow a circadian pattern. Many of these genes are involved in the brain's inflammatory response, which is activated by the buildup of amyloid plaques.

According to Dr. Erik S. Musiek, the study's lead author and a professor of neurology at Washington University, about half of the 82 genes previously associated with Alzheimer's risk are controlled by the circadian rhythm. In the mouse models of Alzheimer's, the daily activity patterns of these critical genes were altered.

These findings suggest that therapies aimed at restoring or manipulating the circadian cycles in microglia and astrocytes could be a promising strategy for supporting brain health. By optimizing the brain's internal clock, it may be possible to enhance its natural ability to clear amyloid plaques and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. While more research is needed, this study opens the door to exploring circadian-based treatments to combat this neurodegenerative condition.