Reduced Lung-Cancer Mortality with CT Screening

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 365; no. 21; pp. 2035 - 2038
• Main Authors: Patel, Anant R.C, Wedzicha, Jadwiga A, Hurst, John R, Heleno, Bruno, Rasmussen, Jakob F, Brodersen, John, Bach, Peter B, Kohn, Michael A, Sestini, Piersante, Berg, Christine D, Aberle, Denise R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Massachusetts Medical Society 24.11.2011
• Subjects: Calcification (ectopic); Cancer; Cardiovascular disease; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Computed tomography; Coronary artery disease; Emphysema; Female; Heart diseases; Humans; Ischemia; Lung cancer; Lung diseases; Lung Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Lung Neoplasms - mortality; Male; Morbidity; Mortality; Obstructive lung disease; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc1110293

To the Editor: The results of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) (Aug. 4 issue) 1 showed a relative reduction in lung-cancer mortality of 20% in former and current heavy smokers who underwent screening with low-dose computed tomography (CT), as compared with radiographic screening. The other main causes of morbidity and mortality in heavy smokers are ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Both these diseases are underdiagnosed and lack specific screening programs. Thus, the use of CT in this context offers a unique opportunity to screen for these two important conditions. For example, the detection of coronary-artery calcification . . .