Routine Screening for Lung Cancer?

Enthusiasm for Cancer Screening in the United States

“…1,2 In recent years, the public has been exposed to expert debate about many of the most basic assumptions of screening: some scientists have challenged the utility of mammography for women younger than age 50 years [3][4][5] or even for women at any age 6,7 ; questions have been raised about how often to be screened for cervical cancer 8,9 ; and whether to be screened at all for prostate 8,9 or lung cancer. 10 Emerging from these debates is a growing consensus that to make good decisions about screening, the public needs access to balanced information about its potential benefits and harms. 11,12 But the public has long received a different message.…”

Effect of Impaired Lung Function on the Development and Progression of Endobronchial Premalignant Lesions

“…The results show that the patients with COPD had a non-statistically significant 2.5 times greater risk of their baseline lesion progressing 2 For overall analysis-adjusted for age at pulmonary function test, gender and pack-years of smoking; 3 p for trend; 4 Mild COPD: (FEV1/FVC < 70% and FEV1 ≥ 80%); Moderate COPD: (FEV1/FVC < 70% and 50% ≤ FEV1 ≥ 80%); Severe COPD: (FEV1/FVC < 70% and FEV1 < 50%); 5 Patients who were missing either FEV1 or FVC information were not included in this analysis. 2 For overall analysis-adjusted for pack-years of smoking and age at pulmonary function test; 3 Patients who were missing FEV1 or FVC information were excluded for certain analysis; 4 p for trend; 5 Mild COPD: (FEV1/FVC < 70% and FEV1 ≥ 80%); Moderate COPD: (FEV1/FVC < 70% and 50% ≤ FEV1 ≥ 80%); Severe COPD: (FEV1/FVC < 70% and FEV1 < 50%).…”

Lung cancer screening as a teachable moment for smoking cessation

“…Because survival rates decrease as stage of lung cancer progresses, effective screening and early detection also have the potential to decrease lung cancer mortality. However, the ability of lung cancer screening to reduce lung cancer mortality has not yet been demonstrated [3][4][5][6]: of seven lung cancer screening trials using chest radiographs and/or sputum cytology, none has concluded that screening reduces mortality [7]. Currently, spiral chest computed tomography (CT) scan and chest X-ray screening are being evaluated in a randomized trial [8], but the results of this study will not be available for several years.…”