Screening for lung cancer.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: While population based screening for lung cancer has not been adopted by most countries, it is not clear whether sputum examinations, chest radiography or newer methods such as computed tomography are effective in reducing mortality from lung cancer. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether screening for lung cancer using regular sputum examinations or chest radiography or CT chest reduces lung cancer mortality. SEARCH STRATEGY: Electronic databases (the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, PREMEDLINE and EMBASE; 1966 to July 2000) ), bibliographies, hand searching of a journal and discussion with experts were used to identify published and unpublished trials. SELECTI..