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Clinical Trial
. 2000 Dec 1;89(11 Suppl):2474-82.
doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(20001201)89:11+<2474::aid-cncr26>3.3.co;2-u.

Early lung cancer action project: overall design and findings from baseline screening

Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Early lung cancer action project: overall design and findings from baseline screening

C I Henschke. Cancer. .

Expression of concern in

  • Expression of concern.
    Khuri FR, Pollock RE. Khuri FR, et al. Cancer. 2012 Feb 15;118(4):1173. doi: 10.1002/cncr.26658. Epub 2012 Jan 4. Cancer. 2012. PMID: 22222971 No abstract available.
  • Follow-up to expression of concern.
    Khuri FR. Khuri FR. Cancer. 2013 May 1;119(9):1763. doi: 10.1002/cncr.28096. Epub 2013 Apr 5. Cancer. 2013. PMID: 23564600 No abstract available.

Abstract

Background: The Early Lung Cancer Action Project (ELCAP) is designed to evaluate baseline and annual repeat screening by low radiation dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) in persons at high-risk for lung cancer. The authors report on the baseline screening experience. For full evaluation of screening, they await the results of annual repeat screening.

Methods: Using a novel non-comparative design, enrollment of 1000 asymptomatic persons, 60 years of age or older, with at least 10 pack-years of cigarette smoking, no prior cancer, and who were medically fit to undergo thoracic surgery was initiated in 1993. After a structured interview and informed consent, chest radiographs (CXR) and low-dose CT were obtained on each subject. The diagnostic workup of screen-detected noncalcified pulmonary nodules (NCNs) was guided by ELCAP recommendations which included short-term high-resolution CT (HRCT) follow-up for the smallest NCNs.

Results: On low-dose CT at baseline as compared to CXR, NCNs were detected three times as commonly (23% vs. 7%), malignancies four times as commonly (2.7% vs. 0.7%), Stage I malignancies six times as commonly (2.3% vs. 0.4%). Of the 27 CT-detected cancers, 96% (26/27) were resectable; 85% (23/27) were Stage I, 19 (83%) of the 23 were not seen on CXR. Following the ELCAP recommendations, biopsies were performed on 28 of the 233 subjects with NCNs; 27 had a malignant NCN and one had a benign one. Another three individuals underwent biopsy outside of the ELCAP recommendations, all had benign NCNs. No one had thoracotomy for a benign nodule.

Conclusions: The estimated five-year survival rate of baseline CT-detected malignancies of 60%-80% is a marked improvement over the current rate of 15%. Although false-positive CTs are common, they can be managed with minimal use of invasive diagnostic procedures.

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