[Early detection of lung cancer. Possibilities--limits--organization]

The aim of early detection of lung cancer is to detect patients in a resectable stage. Immunological methods don't solve this problem as yet. The only procedure which has some efficiency now, is the control of risk groups by periodic chest radiography. The improvement of the screening modalities is proposed. The development of sputum cytology for early detection of lung tumors with central localization is a problem of high research priority.