Sensitivity and Specificity of Lung Cancer Screening with Sputum Cytology and Chest X-ray Film in a High Risk Group

Abstract

Sensitivity and specificity were evaluated for lung cancer screening with chest x-ray films and sputum cytology in a high-risk group. These were evaluated for lung and laryngeal cancer screening, too. A total of 4718 screenees who were 40 years old or more, and with a Cigarette Index (no. of cigarettes/day×no. of years smoking) of 600 or more, in 12 municipalities underwent screening tests with chest x-ray films and sputum cytology during 1986-1987. All of them were followed up to the end of 1988 by means of a record linkage to the Miyagi Prefectural Cancer Registry. Using the definition that when the period from a negative screening test to diagnosis as lung cancer was within one year, the screening test was counted as false negative, the sensitivity and specificity for lung cancer were 75.0, 97.0%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for lung and laryngeal cancer were 76.9, 97.1%, respectively. Sensitivities and specificities using two other definitions were also calculated.