Opportunistic Screening With Low-Dose Computed Tomography and Lung Cancer Mortality in China

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Radiology

Background:

• Lung cancer screening guidelines exist, but participation rates, especially among high-risk individuals, remain low.
• Limited clinical data exist on the effectiveness of opportunistic low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening in reducing lung cancer mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between opportunistic LDCT screening and improved prognosis in adults diagnosed with lung cancer in China.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study included 5234 lung cancer patients diagnosed between 2016-2021.
• Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance groups, followed by Cox regression analysis.
• Outcomes assessed were lung cancer-specific and all-cause mortality.

Main Results:

• After PSM, 2788 patients (1394 screened, 1394 not screened) were analyzed.
• Opportunistic LDCT screening was linked to a 49% lower risk of lung cancer death (HR, 0.51).
• A 46% lower risk of all-cause death was observed (HR, 0.54).

Conclusions:

• Opportunistic lung cancer screening with LDCT is associated with reduced lung cancer and all-cause mortality.
• These findings highlight opportunistic screening as a crucial supplement to population-based screening for improving lung cancer patient outcomes.