3 KEY QUESTIONS | Meeting Communities Where They Are: Increasing Lung Cancer Screening in Massachusetts

Published 12/02/2025

Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang, MD, Thoracic Surgeon at Mass General Hospital and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, answers “3 Key Questions” about his clinical work, community outreach efforts, and leadership in the DF/HCC Lung Cancer Working Group to increase awareness and access to lung cancer screening in Massachusetts. As founder of the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative, Dr. Yang partners with community organizations to bring screening education and navigation services to communities that have been historically overlooked. He also serves as a member of the DF/HCC Lung Cancer Research Program.  

2. What do you see as the biggest barriers to lung cancer screening across different communities, and what promising strategies or approaches have you found to overcome these challenges?

There are many known barriers to lung cancer screening.  Just to name a few, these include: stigma, the complexity of lung cancer screening guidelines, the extra step of shared decision-making that is currently required of lung cancer screening (but not breast cancer screening) and difficulties navigating the health system. But in my experience, one of the biggest barriers is simply that most people do not know they are eligible or that lung cancer screening even exists. When I’m out in the community, everyone—and I truly mean everyone—has heard of mammograms and colonoscopies. It doesn’t matter where we go, even in very underserved neighborhoods. But almost no one has heard of a low-dose CT scan for lung cancer.   

I do feel that everywhere I have been in the community, people do care about their health. Some people assume that the reason individuals do not get screened for lung cancer is because they don’t care about their lung health, but I have found that not to be the case when I’m out in the community.  From a research perspective, our team has shown that the same people who are not getting screened for lung cancer, are indeed, getting mammograms and colonoscopies (Potter et al., JAMA 2025). 

To raise awareness and help people get screened, we’ve found it effective to meet people where they are and make screening feel accessible, safe, and relevant. We reassure those who qualify that lung cancer screening is safe and fully covered by MassHealth, Medicare, and most private insurers, and we break down the eligibility criteria in simple, clear language. Partnering with trusted community organizations and local leaders is just as important because it allows us to have real conversations in places where people feel comfortable—whether that’s a community center, the local gym, or library. We provide education in plain language and offer support with scheduling scans and navigating the process. When you lower barriers, provide reassurance, and engage through trusted community voices, people are much more likely to pursue screening. Our outreach has consistently shown that these approaches make a real difference in helping individuals receive the early detection they deserve. 

3. We are excited to have you as part of the DF/HCC’s new working group initiative that brings together academic and community partners to address the cancer burden in Massachusetts. As a co-leader of the Lung Cancer Working Group, what opportunities do you see for DF/HCC researchers and community partners to collaborate to reduce the burden of lung cancer in Massachusetts? 

In the Lung Cancer Working Group, one of our main priorities is figuring out how we can best collaborate with primary care providers to increase lung cancer screening across Massachusetts. We see tremendous opportunity in strengthening partnerships between DF/HCC, community organizations, and primary care practices. Primary care providers are the first line of early detection, yet many are overburdened and may not have the time, tools, or support needed to identify eligible patients and help them access screening. Our first step is to listen and learn – hearing directly from primary care providers about what they need, what barriers they face, and what types of support would be most helpful. We are also planning webinars, in-person sessions, and practical resources that can help primary care providers feel more confident and better equipped to talk with their patients about lung cancer screening. 

Our Lung Cancer Working Group has also worked on – and continue to work on—several outreach initiatives.  For example, Dr. Núñez and I spoke about lung cancer screening at APP Baystate Grand Rounds, and members of our working group participated in the Union Capital Springfield Resource Fair to teach community members about early detection. We are also partnering with community organizations to bring lung cancer screening education to local events. For example, at the Stronger Together Health Fair, organized by ALCSI earlier this year, our working group was on site to talk with community members and answer questions. In addition, we are working on a statewide survey to better understand gaps in communication, knowledge, and attitudes around lung cancer screening. By combining the strengths of DF/HCC, community partners, and primary care clinicians, we have an opportunity to make meaningful progress in increasing lung cancer screening uptake across Massachusetts.

If you are doing collaborative work in the community and are interested in connecting with the Community Outreach and Engagement on any activities, please email Jenny Reiner (Jennifer_Reiner@dfci.harvard.edu).