2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Posters)-P1.17. Interval of Computed Tomography after Lung Cancer Surgery Follow-Ups Did Not Affect Survival

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This study aimed to investigate the impact of the interval between follow-up CT scans on the survival of postoperative lung cancer patients. The researchers analyzed the data of 166 patients who underwent periodic CT scans and divided them into two groups based on the interval between scans.<br /><br />The "Half-year group" had CT scans within 3-9 months after surgery and follow-up scans at 6-month intervals thereafter. The "Annual group" had their initial CT scan at 6 months after surgery and a second CT scan 10-14 months after the first, followed by annual scans.<br /><br />The researchers matched the clinical backgrounds of both groups to ensure a fair comparison. They found that the Half-year group had a significantly higher proportion of patients receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and more cases of stage III and adenocarcinoma histology compared to the Annual group.<br /><br />There were no significant differences in the recurrence details between the two groups. Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that the intensity of surveillance, as indicated by the CT interval, was not associated with prognosis.<br /><br />The researchers discussed previous reports that showed no improvement in prognosis with intensive CT follow-ups or no difference in prognosis between CT at long and short intervals. They highlighted that lead time bias makes it difficult to evaluate the relationship between early detection and improved prognosis.<br /><br />The conclusion of the study was that close follow-up at an outpatient clinic may not necessarily provide a longer survival. The researchers mentioned an ongoing prospective multi-institutional cohort study that may provide a final answer to the optimal postoperative surveillance in the future.<br /><br />In summary, this study found that the interval between follow-up CT scans after lung cancer surgery did not affect survival. The researchers emphasized the importance of further research to determine the optimal postoperative surveillance strategy.

Asset Subtitle

Natsumi Maru

Meta Tag

Speaker Natsumi Maru

Topic Screening & Early Detection: Program Design

Keywords

interval

follow-up CT scans

survival

lung cancer patients

data analysis

clinical backgrounds

adjuvant chemotherapy

prognosis

early detection

optimal surveillance