Information About the Knowledge on the Statistical Background of Lung Cancer Screening of Doctors Clinical Trial
Official title:
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.
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Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Health Services Research