Sputum result | 38 |
Abnormal | 17 (45) |
Normal | 21 (55) |
No sputum or both cytology/cytometry inadequate | 4 |
Cytology result | 38 |
Abnormal | 12 (32) |
Normal | 26 (68) |
Cytometry result | 38 |
Abnormal | 5 (13) |
Normal | 33 (87) |
Worst AFB result | 11 |
Carcinoma | 2 (18) |
Moderate dysplasia | 2 (18) |
Squamous metaplasia | 1 (9) |
No abnormality | 6 (55) |
Sputum and LDCT results | 42 |
No sputum samples (hence no LDCT) | 4 (2)# |
Sputum normal throughout study (hence no LDCT) | 21 (3)# |
Sputum abnormal, LDCT detected cancer directly afterwards¶ | 8 |
Sputum abnormal, LDCT detected cancer at a later follow-up+ | 7 |
Sputum abnormal, LDCT did not flag for cancer investigation§ | 1 |
Sputum abnormal, but no LDCT done | 1 |
Data are presented as n or n (%), unless otherwise stated. AFB: autofluorescence bronchoscopy; LDCT: low-dose computed tomography. #: the numbers in brackets are lung cancers found by the exit chest radiography at 5 years; ¶: the abnormal sputum result led directly to an abnormal CT (i.e. a nodule ≥9 mm) and the individuals were referred for immediate diagnostic investigations; +: individuals had an abnormal sputum and the abnormal CT that found the cancer was one of the later follow-up scans (in three cases, the first CT with a nodule ≥9 mm was some years before the cancer diagnosis but subsequent CT scans indicated that the nodule had shrunk before the final CT that led to diagnostic investigations showed nodule growth); §: the individual had normal annual CT scans during the trial (the cancer was found by a CT scan given outside of the protocol when the person finished the study; a suspicious large nodule ≥9 mm had appeared).