Reasons for the Delays in the Definitive Diagnosis of Lung Cancer for More than One Year from the Recognition of Abnormal Chest Shadows.

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Abstract
Objective Primary lung cancer generally has a poor prognosis if not diagnosed at an early stage. But some lung cancers grow very slowly. In particular, adenocarcinoma is sometimes observed for years with no change of tumor size. In this study, we examined the reasons for the delays in reaching a definitive diagnosis of lung cancer. Methods We retrospectively reviewed primary lung cancer cases between January 1995 and December 1999 and examined those whose definitive diagnoses were delayed for more than a year. Results A total of 222 primary lung cancers were diagnosed. Of those, 19 patients (group A, 8.6%) were diagnosed after more than a year, and the other 203 (group B, 91.4%) were diagnosed within one year. The proportion of women in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (pConclusions Many of the adenocarcinomas reviewed in our study grew slowly or remained unchanged for years. Doctors are mainly responsible for the delays in the definitive diagnosis and should aggressively perform VATS or closer examinations without hesitation. (Internal Medicine 41: 95-102, 2002)

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