Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Diagnostic modes may play an important role in treatments, but minimal information is available regarding their relationship in patients with lung cancer. This study may contribute to decision making in clinics and public health centers. METHODS: The records of 505 hospitalized surgical patients with lung cancer at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2013 to December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were categorized into physical examination group (PEG, 131 patients) and symptomatic group (SG, 374 patients). Surgical approach, pathological stage, and diagnostic mode were analyzed. RESULTS: Low-dose computed tomography (46.6%, 61/131) and computed radiography (51.1%, 67/131) were used as key diagnosis methods in 131 patients in PEG. The percentage of hospitalized surgical patients with lung cancer detected via physical examination in the city (35.4%, 80/229) was also significantly higher than in the township (18.1%, 50/276) (P<0.001). The ratio of stage I lung cancer detected via physical examination in the city (46.8%, 59/126) was significantly higher than that in the township (27.3%, 33/121) (P=0.001). The proportion of patients who underwent VATS lobectomy was significantly higher in PEG (73.3%, 96/131) than that in SG (44.4%, 166/374) (P<0.001), and the ratio of patients at stage I was significantly higher in PEG (70.2%, 92/131) than that in SG (41.4%, 155/374) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of physical examination is more prevalent in cities than that in towns, and its combination with mini-invasive surgical treatment contributes to early diagnosis of patients with lung cancer.