A 50-year-old male client asks about lung cancer screening. The nurse explains that he is a candidate if he meets which criteria?

LUNG CANCER SCREENING — USPSTF 2021 RECOMMENDATION: Annual low-dose CT (LDCT) screening for adults aged 50-80 who: currently smoke OR quit within the past 15 years AND have a 20+ pack-year history. PACK-YEAR: (packs per day) × (years smoked) = 20 pack-years = 1 pack/day × 20 years = 2 packs/day × 10 years; DISCONTINUE when: person has not smoked for 15 years; health problems limiting life expectancy or willingness to undergo curative treatment; EVIDENCE: LDCT reduces lung cancer mortality by 20% in high-risk populations; NURSING ROLE: Identify eligible patients for screening discussions; reinforce smoking cessation; explain that LDCT detects nodules requiring follow-up — some are benign, reducing anxiety about false positives is part of pre-screening education.