Assessing Lung Scans
Reported November 30, 2004
(Ivanhoe Newswire)–A new study is helping doctors determine the value of using computed tomography to test smokers and former smokers for early lung cancer.
Researchers from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., reviewed medical records on more than 1,500 patients who underwent low-dose spiral computed tomography to assess for lesions that could be cancerous.
Results show about one-third of all people tested had evidence of these lesions. Of that number, 12 percent underwent lung biopsies and about 7 percent were found to actually have lung cancer. About half of the group had a follow-up LDCT but did not undergo the biopsy.
Further analysis of the findings revealed many patients and doctors were not adhering to standard practices regarding the test. For example, few patients received follow-up exams at recommended intervals. Doctors who performed more LDCTs were less likely to use biopsy upon follow-up.
The study analyzed data from the Lung Screening Study, which was set up to compare the use of LDCTs to screen for early lung cancer with standard chest X-rays. LDCT has been shown to outperform the older test in identifying small lesions.
The authors believe their findings may be useful in estimating the potential burden and cost of CT screening and in evaluating whether practitioners are generally following reasonable procedures in their work-up of positive CT screens.
SOURCE: CANCER, published online Nov. 22, 2004