Screening with computed tomography detects early lung cancer

Screening with spiral computed tomography (CT) in people aged 40 or more who are at risk of lung cancer is effective at detecting early cancers, a new study shows. The large international study also showed that the screening resulted in a 10 year survival rate of 80% to 92% (New England Journal of Medicine 2006;355:1763-71).

“Annual spiral CT screening can detect lung cancer that is curable,” conclude the researchers, Claudia Henschke of New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College and colleagues.

Dr Henschke said, “Everyone understands that early stage lung cancer can be cured while late stage lung cancer cannot. You want to find it early and treat it early.”

Although 95% of people who are given a diagnosis of lung cancer die from the disease, “in a population at risk for lung cancer, such screening could prevent 80% of deaths,” the study says. Screening is “highly cost-effective … similar to that for mammography.”

The international …