Are Doctors Familiar With the Test Characteristics of Lung Cancer Screening?

Are Doctors Familiar With the Test Characteristics of Lung Cancer Screening?

This study evaluates whether doctors are familiar with the statistical background of lung cancer screening.

Background: Screening with low-dose CT scan can prevent three deaths due to lung cancer among 1000 high-risk individuals. However, false-positive results and radiation exposure are relevant disadvantages deserving accurate consideration. Candidates for screening can only make an autonomous decision if doctors inform them correctly about the pros and cons of the method. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate, whether doctors understand the test characteristics of lung cancer screening.

Methods: In a randomized trial, 556 doctors (members of the Austrian Respiratory Society) will be invited to answer questions regarding lung cancer screening based on online case vignettes. Half of the participants will be randomized to the group 'with data' and will receive the correct solutions in advance. The group 'without data' will have to rely on prior knowledge or estimate. Primary endpoint will be the between-groups difference in the estimated number of deaths preventable by screening. Secondary endpoints will be the between-groups differences in prevalence of lung cancer, prevalence of suspicious results, sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive value, and false negative rate. Estimations will also be compared to actual values from the literature.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Doctors, who were in training or had a completed specialization training in:
• Pneumonology
• Internal Medicine
• Surgery
• or Radiology

Exclusion Criteria:

• Doctors, with a specialized training in
• ENT
• Pediatrics
• Pathology and doctors who had no e-mail address were excluded.