Can combined non-invasive methods improve diagnosis of lung cancer?

Background: Lung cancer is the most common malignancy in both gender. Early diagnosis is needed to reduce morbidity and mortality. There is a debate about the most accurate investigating modality for the diagnosis of lung cancer. Methods: It is a retrospective cohort analysis to determine whether an approach of combined contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) thorax with bronchoscopy method has higher sensitivity and specificity than combined CECT thorax with sputum cytology method. Records of patients with lung cancer who had visited the hospital within the last 6 months were retrospectively analyzed for their diagnostic modality. SPSS version 19 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. CECT scan thorax, bronchoscopy, and sputum cytology for lung cancer patients were analyzed. The CECT thorax plus bronchoscopy method was compared with the CECT thorax plus sputum cytology method. Their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy in diagnosing lung cancer were analyzed. Results: Sixty-two patients were considered, including 62.9% males with a mean age of 55.5 years. In patients diagnosed with lung cancer, CECT thorax combined with bronchoscopy method was found to have a sensitivity of 96.67% than CECT thorax combined with sputum cytology method with a sensitivity of 90% and the difference in sensitivity between all individual approaches as well as the combined method was statistically significant with a P = 0.00001 and Chi-square value of 86.5909 owing to the low sensitivity of sputum cytology. CECT thorax combined with sputum cytology approach had a better specificity than CECT thorax combined with bronchoscopy. Conclusion: Combined CECT thorax with sputum cytology method has a better specificity in diagnosing lung cancer than combined CECT thorax with bronchoscopy method.