Screening for a cancer: acting on social responsibility.

摘要

The February 2007 AJR health policy commentary, "CT Screening for Lung Cancer: Implications on Social Responsibility" by Lee and Forraan [ 1 ], was motivated by our recent publication in the New England Journal of Medicine on the results of the International Early Lung Cancer Action frogram (I-ELCAP). The authors acknowledge the promise of the results, but also express reasons to be cautious. They caution that our study has not addressed various screening biases, workup of benign findings, radiation risks, costs, etc. Against this backdrop, they address whether, and under what conditions, to recommend screening. They conclude that informed consent is the most reasonable basis for the screening, which generally accords with the current recommendations from the American Cancer Society.