text_1: “Spiral” CT scans reduce smoker deaths: study
text_2: We wished that some of the strong elements included in this story could have found their way into some of the other coverage of a study about the effects of spiral CT scans on reducing lung cancer deaths. Conversely, we wish this story had included more of the information necessary to give readers a complete picture of the benefits of this type of screening for cancer. Smoking rates and the incidence of lung cancer have been falling in the US for several years. Despite these gratifying trends, about 225,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2010 and approximately 157,000 will die from the disease. A major factor in survival after diagnosis is early detection. Chest X-rays are not sensitive enough to pick up lung cancer in its early stages. That is why more sophisticated diagnostic testing has been sought. Spiral computerized tomography (CT) has been touted as the best way to diagnose lung cancer early and save ives. This landmark study has demonstrated that spiral CT’s are indeed more senstive than chest X-rays and that early detection can save lives. The study is by no means a complete answer, and it raises many questions. Who should be screened, when, how often and who is going to pay the enormous bill are some of the obvious questions. Stories like this need to give the evidence an independent and critical analysis to help readers understand whether more screening is necessarily better for identifying lung cancer and saving lives.