Preliminary experiences with low-dose computed tomography for lung cancer screening in Hungary

Introduction: Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of all types of cancers both in developed countries and Hungary. Aim: To obtain experience and facilitate the application of low-dose computed tomography-based lung cancer screening as a targeted public health screening procedure. Method: Volunteers without thoracic complaints above the age of 40 years (n = 963) were screened for lung cancer using digital chest radiography and low-dose computed tomography. Results: Two lung cancers were found among the participants screened with digital chest radiography (0.2%). After informed consent, 173 individuals with normal chest radiography findings (n = 943) took the opportunity to voluntarily participate in low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer. After 3 or 12 months, 65 individuals had follow up control examinations based on the size and characteristics of the detected lesions. Among them, one participant was found to have lung cancer using low-dose computed tomography. Conclusions: These results indicate that low-dose computed tomography-based lung cancer screening as a public health screening procedure can enhance the success of screening with 50% (from 0.2% to 0.3%). The cost-benefit ratio can be raised if chest radiography is performed prior to the low-dose computed tomography examination.