Immediate chest X-ray for patients at risk of lung cancer presenting in primary care: randomised controlled feasibility trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Achieving earlier stage diagnosis is one option for improving lung cancer outcomes in the United Kingdom. Patients with lung cancer typically present with symptoms to general practitioners several times before referral or investigation.

Methods

We undertook a mixed methods feasibility individually randomised controlled trial (the ELCID trial) to assess the feasibility and inform the design of a definitive, fully powered, UK-wide, Phase III trial of lowering the threshold for urgent investigation of suspected lung cancer. Patients over 60, with a smoking history, presenting with new chest symptoms to primary care, were eligible to be randomised to intervention (urgent chest X-ray) or usual care.

Results

The trial design and materials were acceptable to GPs a

SUBMITTER: Neal RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5294478 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature