The implementation of low dose CT lung cancer screening has resulted in a significant increase in the number of patients who survive the deadly disease long-term.
That’s according to a large-scale, 20-year international study set to be presented at this year’s annual RSNA meeting later this month. The study examined survival rates for people who had been previously diagnosed with lung cancer and were enrolled in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP)—a multi-institutional, multi-national program founded in 1992 with the goal of increasing the early detection of lung cancer.
As of today, I-ELCAP has enrolled more than 87,000 participants, offering researchers ample data to analyze in relation to the impact of lung cancer screening initiatives.
“What we present here is the 20-year follow-up on participants in our screening program that were diagnosed with lung cancer and subsequently treated. The key finding is that even after this long a time interval they are not dying of their lung cancer,” said the study’s lead author, Claudia Henschke, PhD, MD, professor of radiology and director of the Early Lung and Cardiac Action Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.
According to the data, the 20-year survival rate for the 1,285 I-ELCAP participants included in this most recent analysis is 80% for those diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer. For those with nonsolid cancerous lung nodules and nodules of part-solid consistency, this rate rose to 100%, and for those with solid nodules, the 20-year survival rate was observed to be 73%.
In contrast, the five-year lung cancer survival rate in the United States sits at 18.6%, but just 16% of those cancers are detected at an early stage. This, Henschke suggested, is indicative of the power of early detection, as participants involved in her research—all enrolled in the early detection program—saw a substantial boost in survival rates.
“Symptoms occur mainly in late-stage lung cancer,” Henschke said. “Thus, the best way to find early-stage lung cancer is by enrolling in an annual screening program.”
She went on to reassure patients that, even if they “are unfortunate enough to develop lung cancer, it can be cured if found early."
More from this study is set to be presented at the annual RSNA meeting being held from November 27 to December 1.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She joined Innovate Healthcare in 2021 and has since put her unique expertise to use in her editorial role with Health Imaging.