The primary aim of this prospective study is to find out the rate of lung cancer detection in subjects who are first degree relatives of lung cancer patients. Secondary aims include studying the characteristics of screen-detected lung cancer. This is a multi-centered prospective cohort study. 1,520 subjects who are first degree relatives of lung cancer patients at four public hospitals in Hong Kong will be screened. Intervention Detailed questionnaires and LDCT Thorax will be performed. The primary outcome measure is the number of lung cancers detected by this study. The screening-detection rate of lung cancer in first-degree relatives of lung cancer patients will be estimated.
Lung cancer can be detected via screening of high-risk individuals, i.e current or ex-heavy smokers, with low-dose computer tomography (LDCT) of thorax. The National Lung Screening Trial in US and the NELSON trial in Europe demonstrated reduction in lung cancer mortality with LDCT screening for lung cancer. In Hong Kong, however, there is a prominence of female never-smokers with lung cancer. There is no identifiable risk factors for non-smokers with lung cancer except family history of lung cancer. The hypothesis is that lung cancer screening for subjects with family history of lung cancer, can detect early lung cancer.