[Comparative analysis on the 2024 Japanese guidelines for management of lung nodules detected by low-dose CT lung cancer screening and the 2023 Chinese guidelines for low-dose CT lung cancer screening].

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Low-dose CT screening can increase the detection rate of early-stage lung cancer and reduce lung cancer mortality. This article compares and analyzes the latest Japanese and Chinese guidelines for low-dose CT lung cancer screening, exploring the commonalities and differences between the two countries in the construction of lung cancer screening systems and the detailed management of lung nodules. Both guidelines emphasize the importance of age and smoking in selecting screening candidates, but the specific criteria differ. The Japanese guideline targets heavy smokers aged 50-74 years, while its Chinese counterpart targets a broader high-risk population, including individuals with different ages, smoking histories, occupational exposures, and family genetic factors. In terms of equipment and radiation dose requirements, both guidelines consider individualization, but there are differences in specific values and methods. Regarding imaging and post-processing analysis, the Chinese guideline provides more detailed technical specifications, emphasizing the use of various post-processing techniques. In lung nodule management strategies, both guidelines adopt nodule classification, but there are differences in nodule size assessment criteria and follow-up intervention procedures, with the Chinese guideline placing greater emphasis on multidisciplinary team consultations. The Japanese guideline highlights easily overlooked imaging features of lung cancer and non-nodule manifestations, while the Chinese guideline emphasizes the integration of smoking cessation and lung cancer screening. Overall, the guidelines of the two countries share commonalities in many aspects of lung cancer screening but also have their own characteristics, and learning from each other can help improve lung cancer screening systems.