Lung cancer screening: what can we tell our patients while we await a screening program ?

Rev Med Suisse. 2020 Nov 4;16(713):2086-2091.

ABSTRACT

The NLST study in the United States showed, in 2011, that low-dose lung CT scans can reduce lung cancer mortality but was limited in its routine recommendation by 96% of false positive screening results. The European NELSON trial, published in 2020, confirmed a 24% decrease in lung cancer mortality and, by using lung nodule volume and volume doubling time, decreased false positive results to 56% of positive tests. The implementation of screening programs is now expected in Europe, including


Switzerland. In anticipation, we have developed a decision aid to present patients with the benefits (decreased lung cancer mortality), risks (false positives and indeterminate results), and uncertainties (incidental findings) of lung cancer screening.