Abstract
A screening for lung cancer primarily by cytologic examination of sputum was conducted on outpatients visiting local practitioners. Of 1, 042 patients aged ≥40 years with a Brinkman Index of ≥400, prolonged respiratory symptoms or roentgenographic abnormality, 28(2.69%) were diagnosed as having lung cancer. The histologic types consisted of squamous cell carcinoma (20 patients), adenocarcinoma (7), and small cell carcinoma (1). Hilar type lung cancer was detected in 17 patients, and peripheral type in 11. Fourteen cases were stage I, including 3 early stage cases, 4 were in Stage II, 6 in Stage III, and 4 in Stage IV. Papanicolaou sputum stain was positive in 23 patients : Class I was found in 21.21%, Class II in 68.15%, Class III in 0.38%, and Class IV or V in 2.50% ; specimens from 8.16% were valid. In nearly half of the patients (13), lung cancer was detected during examinations for other diseases. The high detection rate including that in early stage cases shows the importance of screening for lung cancer at the primary health care level.
