IFCT-0302 randomised 1,775 patients after resection for non-small cell lung cancer to surveillance by chest CT or by clinic visits and chest X-ray, with quality of life assessed every six months to two years and annually to five. Time to deterioration did not differ for either dimension (mental HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.82-1.15; physical HR 1.13, 0.92-1.38). The parent trial had already found that CT detected more early recurrences and second primaries treatable with intent to cure, without improving survival.
Why it is interesting: It closes the remaining argument on either side of intensive imaging in a cancer where more detection did not translate into longer life.