Evaluation of the use of a rapid diagnostic consultation of lung cancer. Delay time of diagnosis and therapy

• Published in: Archivos de bronconeumología (English ed.) 2012-08, Vol.48 (8), p.267-273
• Main Authors: Hueto Pérez De Heredia, Javier, Cebollero Rivas, Pilar, Cascante Rodrigo, José Antonio, Andrade Vela, Isabel, Pascal Martínez, Idoya, Boldú Mitjans, Joan, Eguía Astibia, Víctor Manuel
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; spa
• Subjects: Aged; Ambulatory Care - statistics & numerical data; Delayed Diagnosis; Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System - utilization; Female; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Length of Stay - statistics & numerical data; Lung Diseases - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - therapy; Male; Mass Screening - methods; Mass Screening - statistics & numerical data; Mass Screening - utilization; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Referral and Consultation; Retrospective Studies; Socioeconomic Factors; Spain - epidemiology; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1579-2129
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arbres.2012.03.009

To analyze the results obtained in a lung cancer screening program since its inception five years ago regarding correct referrals, diagnostic and therapeutic delay times and days of hospitalization. To compare the diagnostic-therapeutic delays and hospital stays with those obtained in patients evaluated with the standard system. Included for study were all those patients evaluated in our Lung Cancer Screening Program (LCSP) in the last five years. For the cases with LC, we recorded the dates the patients were referred to a specialist, the first consultation, diagnostic tests, stage, start of treatment and days of hospitalization. We compared these same data with lung cancer patients who did not partake in the LCSP and were diagnosed between October 2008 and October 2010. We evaluated 179 patients remitted to the LCSP, which represented 26.7% of the consultations; 166 (92.7%) of the referrals were correct, out of which 44.5% were LC. In 75.6% of these, the entire study was completed in the outpatient setting, and more than 85% of the cases met the current recommendations related with diagnostic-therapeutic delays. When these results were compared with the non-LCSP group (n=151), differences were found in the data for hospitalizations: there was a lower percentage of hospitalizations (P