title: Clinical application of the liquid-based cytological test in cytological screening of sputum for the diagnosis of lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The liquid-based cytological test (LCT) is successfully and widely used to assess cervical cytology. This study aimed to compare the cytological findings and diagnostic sensitivity of LCT with those of the pick-and-smear (PS) method for diagnosing lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sputum specimens from 101 patients diagnosed with lung cancer were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LCT slides showed decreased areas of cell monolayers, a clearer background and distinct, stereoscopic cytological features. The LCT had a significantly higher diagnostic sensitivity for lung cancer (80.2%) than the PS method (63.4%, P < 0.05), particularly for small cell lung carcinoma (P < 0.05). Combination of the LCT with the conventional PS method showed significantly higher diagnostic sensitivity for the detection of adenocarcinoma (80.6%) compared with the PS method alone (55.6%, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LCT is a useful and easily performed technique that can be widely applied, and is suitable for mass screening for the early diagnosis of lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: En-Hua
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-Min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods