Regular Article

British Journal of Cancer (2001) 85, 1326–1331. doi:10.1054/bjoc.2001.2060 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 30 October 2001

An evaluation of screening for lung cancer in Niigata Prefecture, Japan: a population-based case–control study

H Tsukada1, Y Kurita1, A Yokoyama1, S Wakai2, T Nakayama3, M Sagawa4 and H Misawa5

  1. 1Department of Internal Medicine, Niigata Cancer Center Hospital, Niigata, Japan
  2. 2Association for Prevention of Cancer & Cardiovascular Diseases of Niigata, Niigata, Japan
  3. 3Division of Epidemiology, Department of Field Research, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, Osaka, Japan
  4. 4Department of Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Development Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
  5. 5Niigata Health & Hygiene Center, Niigata, Japan

Received 18 January 2001; Revised 9 July 2001; Accepted 9 July 2001.

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Abstract

Although an annual screening programme for lung cancer has been carried out widely in Japan since 1987, there is insufficient evidence to confirm its efficacy in terms of reducing mortality. In order to evaluate the efficacy of the lung cancer screening which has been widely carried out in Japan since 1987, a case–control study was conducted in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. In the study area, chest X-ray examinations for all participants and sputum cytology for high-risk participants were offered annually. Case subjects, who had died from lung cancer (174), and control subjects matched by sex, year of birth, residence and smoking status (801), who had been alive at the time of diagnosis of the corresponding case, were selected from the National Health Insurance holders. Screening histories of the subjects were compared between cases and matched controls for the identical calendar period before the time of diagnosis of the cases. The odds ratio of death from lung cancer for those screened within 12 months vs those not screened was 0.401 (95% CI: 0.272–0.591) with adjustment by smoking index. Our results suggest that annual lung cancer screening might reduce mortality from lung cancer by approximately 60%. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign www.bjcancer.com

Keywords:

lung cancer, screening, case–control study, efficacy

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