Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4215902 Revue des Maladies Respiratoires Actualités 2012 6 Pages PDF
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Patients are diagnosed with advanced disease. The randomized National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), comparing low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) and chest X-rays, showed a 20 % decrease in lung-cancer-specific mortality and a 6,7 % reduction of death from any cause. Review of the evidence regarding the benefits and harms of lung cancer screening using LDCT support the conclusion that LDCT screening may benefit to individuals. The position statement by the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Society of Clinical Oncology suggest that annual screening with LDCT should be offered to smokers and former smokers who are age 55 to 74 and who have smoked for 30 pack years and more and either continue to smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Screening should be conducted in centers similar to those where the NLST was conducted, with multi-disciplinary coordinated care and comprehensive process for screening, image interpretation, management of findings, evaluation and treatment of potential cancers. However, screening for lung cancer is not a substitute for stopping smoking.
Related Topics
Health Sciences Medicine and Dentistry Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
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