Low-Dose Computed Tomography for Lung Cancer Screening in the General Population: Experience at a Local Hospital in Taitung, Taiwan

Chiu-Fan Chen ； Wei-Lun Huang ； Chih-Hsun Lin ； Chia-Hao Chan

《胸腔醫學》 35卷4期 (2020/12) Pp. 165-177

摘要

Introduction: Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been shown to effectively reduce lung cancer mortality in heavy smokers. However, evidence on the benefits of using LDCT to survey a general population, including non-smokers, in Taiwan is limited. Methods: We enrolled patients receiving LDCT during the year 2016 at a local hospital in Taitung City. Our aim was to analyze the features of pulmonary nodules found by LDCT in a general population, and to evaluate the follow-up results. Results: A total of 371 patients were collected. The mean age was 59.2±11.9 years. Ninety patients (24.3%) were smokers. A total of 252 patients (67.9%) had pulmonary nodules ≧2 mm on LDCT. Smoking status was not significantly different between patients with and without pulmonary nodules. Of the nodules ＜6 mm with LDCT follow-up, 73.6% showed a stable size for 1~2 years, 17.2% showed regression, and only 1.1% had nodule progression (5 mm ground-glass nodule progression to 6 mm with density increase at 24 months); 8% had follow-up of ＜1 year. The overall lung cancer detection rate was 1.3%. Conclusion: This study found that pulmonary nodules ＜6 mm are very common in the general population of Taitung undergoing LDCT. Up to 1/4 of patients were found to have pulmonary nodules ≧6 mm on LDCT. The cancer detection rate in this study was similar to that of LDCT screening for heavy smokers in the United States. LDCT may be an effective tool for lung cancer screening in the general population in Taiwan.

關鍵字

low-dose computed tomography ； lung cancer screening ； pulmonary nodule