[Efforts for early detection of lung cancer]

The 3rd survey of "The Lung Cancer Early Detection Project" inaugurated in 1972, was conducted by Naruke team during the period from 1978 to 1980 on 1, 632, 157 test subjects collected from 60 institutions throughout Japan. Cases of detected lung cancer were classified in two groups as Prevalence case and Incidence case and discussed in the report. As the result, X-ray examination was effective to detect early peripheral lung cancer, and for high risk group X-ray examination combined with sputum cytology test indicated the highest detection rate for early hilar lung cancer. Our recent directions for the nation-wide mass screening of lung cancer consist of four methods: 1. Utilization of local self-governmental mass screening. 2. Mass screening conducted by general practitioners at local clinics. 3. Active cooperation of general practitioners with local self-government. 4. Public participation in the Lung Project. We should continue our efforts to solve these problems.