Danila Edvardas, Krynke Leonid, Ciesiūnienė Audronė, Žučenkienė Emilė, Kantautas Marius, Gricienė Birutė, Valančienė Dileta, Zeleckienė Ingrida, Austrotienė Rasa, Tarutytė Gabrielė, Vencevičienė Lina
Clinic of Chest Diseases, Immunology and Allergology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Santariškių St. 2, 08661 Vilnius, Lithuania.
Centre of Pulmonology and Allergology, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Santariškių St. 2, 08661 Vilnius, Lithuania.
Cancers (Basel). 2025 Jun 12;17(12):1956. doi: 10.3390/cancers17121956.
In 2024, Lithuania developed a national lung cancer screening program (the Program), targeting individuals aged 50 to 70 years, regardless of their smoking history, with screenings conducted once every three years. The Program aims not only to actively detect lung nodules (lung cancer) but also to identify clinically significant concomitant findings. The pilot study aimed to evaluate the screening process's feasibility and organizational efficiency of the screening process, as well as its potential clinical effectiveness. Three family medicine centers were selected for participation. The Coordinating Center contacted individuals aged 50 to 70 sequentially and invited them to participate, regardless of smoking status. In total, 1014 individuals were prospectively enrolled and underwent low-dose chest computed tomography (LDCT) screening between 26 September 2024 and 14 February 2025. Of the individuals invited, 76.1% agreed to participate. Lung-RADS v2022 category 4 nodules were identified in 1.4% of participants ( = 14), including six smokers and eight non-smokers. Additionally, one participant with a Lung-RADS category 2 nodule was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma originating from peripheral lung changes. Newly identified significant incidental findings were detected in 25.9% of participants: 5.1% had pulmonary or mediastinal findings (most commonly emphysema, interstitial lung changes, and bronchiectasis), 18.7% had cardiovascular findings (usually coronary artery calcification, aortic valve calcification, and aorta dilation), and 2.1% had other clinically relevant conditions (e.g., thyroid nodules, diaphragmatic changes). Following assessment by family physicians, 17.6% of all participants were referred to medical specialists, including pulmonologists, cardiologists, and others. This pilot study demonstrated that the Lithuanian lung cancer screening model is feasible, well-organized, and clinically valuable. The findings support the Program's readiness for broader implementation at the national level.
2024年，立陶宛制定了一项全国肺癌筛查计划（该计划），目标人群为50至70岁的个体，无论其吸烟史如何，每三年进行一次筛查。该计划不仅旨在积极检测肺结节（肺癌），还旨在识别具有临床意义的伴随发现。试点研究旨在评估筛查过程的可行性、组织效率及其潜在的临床效果。选择了三个家庭医学中心参与。协调中心按顺序联系了50至70岁的个体并邀请他们参与，无论其吸烟状况如何。共有1014名个体前瞻性入组，并于2024年9月26日至2025年2月14日期间接受了低剂量胸部计算机断层扫描（LDCT）筛查。在被邀请的个体中，76.1%同意参与。1.4%的参与者（n = 14）被识别出Lung-RADS v2022 4类结节，其中包括6名吸烟者和8名非吸烟者。此外，一名Lung-RADS 2类结节的参与者被诊断为源于外周肺改变的鳞状细胞癌。25.9%的参与者检测到新发现的重要偶然发现：5.1%有肺部或纵隔发现（最常见的是肺气肿、间质性肺改变和支气管扩张），18.7%有心血管发现（通常是冠状动脉钙化、主动脉瓣钙化和主动脉扩张），2.1%有其他临床相关情况（如甲状腺结节、膈肌改变）。经家庭医生评估后，所有参与者中有17.6%被转诊至医学专家处，包括肺科医生、心脏病专家等。这项试点研究表明，立陶宛肺癌筛查模式是可行的、组织良好的且具有临床价值。这些发现支持该计划在国家层面更广泛实施的准备情况。
