Bronchiectasis in a lung cancer screening program.xlsx

Bronchiectasis and false positives in a lung cancer screening program. Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality. Screening with low dose computed tomography (LDCT) has proven to be effective in its detection, although with possible damages mainly due to a high rate of false positives. The finding of bronchiectasis could imply an increased risk of false positives Of the 3028 subjects included in the Lung Cancer Screening Program of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, between 2000 and 2012, 354 cases with bronchiectasis were matched with 354 controls by age, sex and history of tobacco. We identify the nodules in baseline and follow up LDCT that required additional tests and were found not to be cancer (false positives) as well as those that were cancer<br> In baseline LDCT, there were more false positives in patients with bronchiectasis (26% vs 17%, p 0.003), which led to a higher proportion of follow-up LDCT and more indications of antibiotics. The number of false positives during follow-up was 129 in bronchiectasis vs 88 for controls (p 0.008), especially for unnecessary LDCT in each group. The biopsy was done in 11 in the bronchiectasis group and 9 in the controls, being diagnostic of cancer in 6 and 7 cases respectively, p 0.77 In a screening program, both baseline and follow-up LDCTs have more false positives in patients with bronchiectasis than controls. This has led to a greater number of unnecessary tests in individuals with bronchiectasis, mainly more indications of LDCT and antibiotic regimen, without more proportion of cancer. The individuals with the highest risk of false positives, such as those with bronchiectasis, should be well identified to minimize the risks involved