Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States and around the world. There are > 90 million current and ex-smokers in the United States who are at increased risk of lung cancer. The published data from the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) suggest that yearly screening with low-dose thoracic CT scan in heavy smokers can reduce lung cancer mortality by 20% and all-cause mortality by 7%. However, to implement this program nationwide using the NLST inclusion and exclusion criteria would be extremely expensive, with CT scan costs alone > $2 billion per annum. In this article, we offer a possible low-cost strategy to risk-stratify smokers on the basis of spirometry measurements and emphysema scoring by radiologists on CT scans.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Aged
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Algorithms
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / diagnostic imaging*
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / economics
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / etiology
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / mortality
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Cause of Death
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Cost-Benefit Analysis
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Female
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Forced Expiratory Volume / physiology
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Humans
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Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
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Lung Neoplasms / economics
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Lung Neoplasms / etiology
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Lung Neoplasms / mortality
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Male
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Mass Screening* / economics
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Middle Aged
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Predictive Value of Tests
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Pulmonary Emphysema / diagnostic imaging
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Pulmonary Emphysema / economics
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Pulmonary Emphysema / etiology
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Pulmonary Emphysema / mortality
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Smoking / adverse effects*
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Smoking / mortality
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Spirometry* / economics
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Tomography, X-Ray Computed* / economics