Authors' recommendations: Lung cancer causes 1.3 million deaths worldwide each year, exceeding the number of deaths caused by breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined. Most cases of lung cancer are not detected until the tumor has spread beyond the primary site, and curative treatment is not possible. Lung cancer is almost exclusively limited to persons who were exposed to carcinogens, and approximately 85% of lung cancer patients are active or former smokers. Although the rate of heavy smoking is declining in the United States, there remain 94 million current or former smokers who are at a high risk of developing lung cancer. Early detection of lung cancer may reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. Recently, screening high-risk patients with lowdose computed tomography (CT) was found to reduce the lung cancer mortality rate by 20% as compared with conventional radiography. However, CT imaging involves radiation, is costly, has poor specificity, and has a high rate of false positive results. False positive results would lead to unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures, possible complications of invasive procedures, and patient anxiety. Chest radiography and sputum cytology have also been investigated for early detection of lung cancer; however, both of these methods failed to reduce the mortality rate of lung cancer.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2012

URL for published report: The report may be purchased from:http://www.hayesinc.com/hayes/crd/?crd=14683

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: United States

Organisation Name: HAYES, Inc.

Contact Address: 157 S. Broad Street, Suite 200, Lansdale, PA 19446, USA. Tel: 215 855 0615; Fax: 215 855 5218

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Contact Email: saleinfo@hayesinc.com

Copyright: 2012 Winifred S. Hayes, Inc