RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Prospective assessment of incidental respiratory symptoms in COPD (PAIRS-COPD), feasibility study JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP P2765 VO 44 IS Suppl 58 A1 Anas Zarmouh A1 Dawn Bowen A1 Mark Boon A1 Trevor Rogers YR 2014 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P2765.abstract AB Introduction: Targeting COPD patients as a high risk population for improving the timeliness of diagnosis of symptomatic lung cancer has not previously been attempted. The development of primary care registers of COPD patients in the UK has created an opportunity for this. Methods: This pilot study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of an intervention to identify putative lung cancer symptoms in primary care COPD patients. 281 COPD patients from a single GP practice's register were approached for consent by post. Volunteers are to be contacted 4-monthly for a year by telephone by a practice nurse using a standardised proforma, enquiring about new respiratory symptoms, particularly cough or haemoptysis. A chest radiograph (CXR) is obtained for symptoms persisting over 3 weeks, in accordance with national (NICE) guidelines. Patients are also offered either a medical review or a referral to the chest clinic, as appropriate. Results: Consent to participate was obtained in 69 patients (25% of the target population). After the first cycle of calls, 20 patients (29% of volunteers) were referred for CXR and 5 (7%) were referred urgently to secondary care. No case of lung cancer has yet been found. Discussion: These results reveal the likely gross under-investigation of symptoms associated with lung cancer in COPD patients, about 1% of whom are likely to develop lung cancer each year. The results after completion of the 3, 4-monthly call cycles will inform the feasibility of a randomised, controlled trial.