The National Cancer Institute has developed a guide for patients and clinicians to review the data from the NLST to facilitate communication about the benefits and harms of screening.

Summing from the table and extrapolating from the study results here are some possible talking points:

– Mortality is decreased by 20% relative to cxr alone

over a 3 year period, Out of 1000 patients, 18 will die from lung cancer vs 21 without a CT (3 fewer).

In 1 year,

– Out of 1000 patients, you will pick up a resectable cancer in 6.45 patients

– Out of 1000 patients, you will pick up a false positive  in 6.45 patients