[Case finding in bronchial carcinoma: cost-effectiveness]

The data in the study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute make it possible to calculate the cost of early detection of bronchial carcinoma by radiologic and/or cytologic examination. For the initial series of tests (prevalence study), the cost of one case of screening-related survival amounts to: 417 chest roentgenograms + 417 sputum cytological examinations + 33 investigations to clarify abnormal chest roentgenograms. If cytological investigation alone is performed 2500 examinations are needed for one case of screening-related survival. If these examinations are repeated on a yearly basis, the benefit related to this screening effort is less than 1 case of survival/1000 subjects/year.