ATLANTA — A new report finds Georgia is lagging behind much of the country when it comes to lung cancer screenings, with only about 16% of eligible residents getting tested.

According to the American Lung Association, just 16.3% of Georgians who meet screening guidelines are receiving the recommended tests. Those guidelines include adults ages 50 to 80 who have a 20-pack-year smoking history, meaning the equivalent of smoking one pack a day for 20 years, or two packs a day for 10 years.

Dr. Bruce Waldholtz with the American Cancer Society says people who meet those criteria should be screened every year. “Over 8,800 Georgians will get lung cancer this year,” he said. “It’s estimated that 4,900 Georgians will die from lung cancer, so it’s a very deadly cancer.”

The American Lung Association reports when it comes to surviving lung cancer, Georgia ranks below average. The percent of people alive five years after being diagnosed with lung cancer in Georgia is 26.2%, which is significantly lower than the national rate of 29.7%.

Only about 27% of cases are caught at an early stage here in Georgia and that goes back to lack of screening.

Despite some progress, Waldholtz says the state has “a long way to go” to reach screening rates comparable to mammography.

Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer, and tobacco use is still the leading preventable cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., with more than 80% of lung cancer deaths linked to tobacco use.

WSB Radio’s Sabrina Cupit contributed to this story.