Spotting the Unseen: Lung Cancer Screening

SELF STUDY / ENDURING - ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE ACTIVITY: 35 Minutes

Overview

Explore lung cancer screening through a focused review of current USPSTF guidelines, low-dose CT (LDCT) utilization, and Lung-RADS classification. Participants will examine the evolution of screening evidence from landmark trials such as NLST and NELSON, along with the impact of updated eligibility criteria on population health and access to care. Emphasis is placed on shared decision-making, interpretation of screening results, and comparison of centralized versus decentralized screening program models to improve adherence, early detection, and patient-centered outcomes.

Target Audience

This CME initiative was designed for oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, NPs, PAs, pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of patients with cancer.

Learning Objectives

  1. Describe the background and limitations of Lung Cancer Screening (LCS), including enrollment criteria, the use of low-dose CT, and the Lung-RADS scoring system
  2. Analyze the updates in eligibility criteria for LCS, including changes in age and pack-year thresholds, and evaluate the impact and statistical significance of these changes
  3. Evaluate key findings from the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial (NLST), the NELSON trial, and the American Lung Association's "State of Lung Cancer" report
  4. Evaluate the current evidence on lung cancer screenings, comparing the benefits of centralized versus decentralized programs, and analyze the ongoing need for criteria revision. 

 

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Horizon CME is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    Horizon CME designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Course opens: 
05/12/2026
Course expires: 
06/12/2027
Cost:
$0.00
Rating: 
0

Faculty

 

Ronna Schrenk, PA-C, RRT, NPS

Advanced Practice Director of Pulmonary
Lead Provider for Lung Cancer Screening
Intermountain Healthcare
Sandy, UT

Ronna G. Schrenk originally from South Dakota, her passion for medicine began in high school, where she gained early experience as a medical assistant. She has BS in Respiratory Therapy from Dakota State University in 2003. She went on to work for 8 years in a variety of areas, ICU, PICU, NICU, step down units, air medical, PFTS labs and clinics. Ronna obtained her Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) at the University of Utah, 2011. She has been worked for Intermountain Health since 2012, in pulmonary and sleep medicine.

In 2019, she was appointed as the Advanced Practice Director (APD) of Pulmonary, Sleep Medicine, and Allergy/Immunology. In 2023 she began co-leading the Centralized Lung Cancer Screening program, demonstrating her commitment to advancing healthcare initiatives. Ronna is married with 2 young sons. She enjoys attending professional soccer games, being apart of low-key book clubs, and participating in her son’s activities.

Disclosures:

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Horizon CME (HCME) ensures that continuing education activities are balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous. 

All persons in a position to influence the content of an accredited continuing education activity provided by Horizon CME are required to disclose to HCME any relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies within the past 24 months. All reported relevant financial relationships have been mitigated by Horizon CME.

Ronna Schrenk, PA-C, RRT, NPA discloses no relevant financial relationships with any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing healthcare goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients during the past 24 months.

Available Credit

  • 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Horizon CME is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    Horizon CME designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Price

Cost:
$0.00
Please login or register to take this course.

There are no fees for participating and receiving CME credit for this enduring activity. To receive CME credit participants must:

  1. Read the CME/CE information and faculty disclosures.
  2. Participate in the online activity.
  3. Complete the post-test
  4. Submit the evaluation form

DISCLAIMER:

This activity is designed for educational purposes. Participants have a responsibility to utilize this information to enhance their professional development to improve patient outcomes. Conclusions drawn by the participants should be derived from careful consideration of all available scientific information. The participant should use his/her clinical judgment, knowledge, experience, and diagnostic decision-making before applying any information, whether provided here or by others, for any professional use.

Required Hardware/software

Access to the internet is required.

Supported Browsers:

Internet Explorer 8.0+ for Windows 2003, Vista, XP, Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and above

Google Chrome 28.0+ for Windows, Mac OS, or Linux

Mozilla Firefox 23.0+ for Windows, Mac OS, or Linux

Safari 6.0+ for Mac OSX 10.7 and above

 

Supported Phones & Tablets:

 Android 4.0.3 and above

iPhone/iPad with iOS 6.1 or above