Lung cancer screening: promise and pitfalls.
OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of the status of lung cancer screening.


METHODS
Published articles, book chapters, websites, and research studies.


CONCLUSIONS
Screening with chest x-ray and sputum cytology has not been shown to be effective in reducing lung cancer mortality. Although screening with helical CT is currently under investigation in randomized clinical trials, observational studies have not shown evidence that it can detect lung cancer that is curable.


CONCLUSIONS
As health care educators and caregivers, nurses should be informed of the status and current controversies associated with lung cancer screening.
Smith
Judith J
JJ
Lung and Upper Aerodigestive Cancer Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, NIH, US Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. judiths@mail.nih.gov
Berg
Christine D
CD
D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008403:Mass Screening; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology