This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.

The principal aim of this report was to analyse the effectiveness of the different lung-cancer screening tests proposed, i.e., low-resolution computerised helical tomography, chest radiography and sputum cytology, for early diagnosis of lung cancer. Furthermore, we sought to ascertain the potential of other screening tests and to estimate the population eligible for lung cancer screening in Spain, both as a whole and by autonomous region (comunidad autonoma).

a) There is no lung cancer screening test that reduces mortality or increases the proportion of cures, so that currently the implementation of a lung cancer screening programme is not to be recommended. b) The most appropriate method of lung cancer screening is selective screening of smokers. c) Of all the tests available, imaging tests are currently the most appropriate for hypothetical screening. Computerised tomography is the test that affords greatest sensitivity and specificity. d) Imaging tests involve exposure to radiation. Care is called for when conducting repeated imaging tests and proper assessment should be made as to whether these are really necessary. e) Studies published on lung cancer screening display methodological deficiencies, and the presence of biases that may affect the results cannot be ruled out.

http://www.inahta.org/Publications/Briefs-Checklist-Impact/2009/4245/