[Medical impact of screening of broncho-pulmonary cancer in subjects exposed to asbestos].
Most of available data about screening for lung cancer concern smokers. These studies concluded that no benefit can be expected from sputum cytology. Moreover with radiologic screening, early stages and resectability are more frequent and survival of screened patients is longer. Yet lung cancer specific mortality is not influenced. Various explanations are presented. For asbestos workers, lung cancers can occur even without asbestosis. So screening, if any should be applied to any exposed patient with or without radiologic abnormalities. Experts assert that medical data are not conclusive to demonstrate the benefit or the absence of benefit of radiological screening. If a screening program is planned, asbestos workers alone could be included on the condition that such strategy is evaluated. Prospective studies about new procedures, especially Chest-CT, are also advisable.
Milleron
B
B
Unité fonctionnelle de pneumologie à orientation oncologique, Hôpital Tenon, Paris.
Depierre
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A
Paris
C
C
D001195:Asbestosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008403:Mass Screening; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects