[The Methods and Clinical Significance of Early Diagnosis of Lung Cancer].

Lung cancer is the leading contributor to morbidity and mortality from cancer worldwide, with its 5-year overall survival being only about 15.6%. Due to the lack of specific early screening methods for lung cancer, about 75% patients are diagnosed late. Therefore, it remains the big challenge for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. We need to pay more attention to the screening of lung cancer, and more precise assessment and management to the pulmonary nodules screened out. Further study on liquid biopsy, optimization of new fiberoptic bronchoscopy and the sampling methods to harvest small volume of lung tissue, could be helpful to improve the early diagnosis of lung cancer.
(Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)