The Mayo Lung Project: a perspective

Abstract

Background: The Mayo Lung Project (MLP) was a randomized, controlled, clinical trial designed to determine whether intensive radiologic and cytologic screening for lung carcinoma could reduce lung carcinoma mortality significantly.

Methods: Half the MLP population was encouraged (and reminded) to undergo free chest X-rays and free sputum cytology tests every 4 months for 6 years, whereas the other half of the population was advised to undergo the 2 tests yearly.

Results: Lung carcinoma incidence rate, resectability, and survivorship were greater in the intensively screened group compared with the control group, but there was no significant difference in the lung carcinoma mortality rate between the two groups.

Conclusions: The intensive screening program cannot be recommended as a public health measure because it did not appear to result in decreased lung carcinoma mortality, even though it did yield an increased rate of incidence of apparently indolent tumors.