OBJECTIVES: The Austrian Federal Ministry of Health assigned the Austrian Public Health Institute (GÖG) to conduct a Quick Assessment with the objective to evaluate the effectiveness of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) compared to chest X-ray or normal care. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed including the databases PubMed and Cochrane Library. Observational and interventional studies as well as HTAs, systematic reviews and meta-analysis published between 2013 and 2015 were included when fitting the pre-stated selection criteria. Moreover, the literature research was limited to German and English literature. RESULTS: After selection, 1 systematic review and 13 RCTs and cohort studies were included. The systematic review summarizes that lung cancer screening with LDCT significantly reduces lung cancer related mortality as well as overall mortality. However, it points out that advantages have to be weighed against possible risks and harms such as over diagnoses. Thus methods to reduce these risks need to be identified. Primary studies show inconsistent results. The American National Lung Screening Trial, including 50.000 patients, shows a 20% reduction in lung cancer related mortality and a 6.7% reduction in overall mortality. European randomised clinical trials and observational studies do not replicate these positive results so far, but report a high number of false-positive results. However, these studies are partly not completed, the included populations are rather small and some of the studies lack of methodological quality. CONCLUSIONS: Even though some evidence points at a possible reduction of lung cancer related and overall mortality, a Europe-wide introduction of lung cancer screening with LDCT seems not fully appropriate yet. A number of important questions, e.g. regarding the target group, the ideal screening intervals and the number of over diagnosis need to be answered first.