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Assessing public interest in imaging-based cancer screening examinations using internet search data: comparison of mammography, CT lung cancer screening, and CT colonography
ABSTRACT
Background:
The non-invasive imaging examinations of mammography (MG), low-dose CT for lung cancer screening (LCS) and CT colonography (CTC) play important roles in screening for the most common cancer types. Internet search data can be used to gauge public interest in screening techniques, assess common screening-related questions and concerns, and formulate public awareness strategies.
Objective:
To compare historical Google search volumes for MG, LCS, and CTC and to determine the most common search topics.
Methods:
Google Trends data were used to quantify relative Google search frequencies for these imaging screening modalities over the last two decades. A commercial search engine tracking product (keywordtool.io) was used to assess the content of related Google queries over the year from May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023, and two authors used an iterative process to agree upon a list of thematic categories for these queries. Queries with at least 10 monthly instances were independently assigned to the most appropriate category by the two authors, with disagreements resolved by consensus.
Results:
The mean 20-year relative search volume for MG was approximately 10-fold higher than for LCS and 25-fold higher than for CTC. Search volumes for LCS have trended upward since the publication of the National Lung Screening Trial in 2011. The most common topics of MG-related searches included nearby screening locations (24%) and inquiries about procedural discomfort (11%). Most common LCS-related searches included CT-specific inquiries (48%) or general inquiries (16%), use of AI or deep learning (11%), and eligibility criteria (9%). For CTC, the most common searches were CT-specific inquiries (32%) or for procedural details (25%).
Conclusions:
Over the past two decades, Google search volumes have been significantly higher for MG than for either LCS or CTC, although search volumes for LCS have trended upward since the publication of the National Lung Screening Trial in 2011. Knowledge of public interest and queries related to imaging-based screening techniques may help guide public awareness efforts.
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