EARLY DETECTION OF LUNG CANCER POSSIBLE WITH CAT AND PET SCANS (pp 588, 593)August 20, 2003Issue 23 August 2003 Embargoed 0001 h (London time) 22 August 2003. Preliminary results from a European study in this week's issue of THE LANCET show that combined use of spiral computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tamography (PET) scanning can reliably detect early lung cancer. Authors of the study suggest that use of these imaging techniques could inform future randomised trials in the assessment of widespread population screening for lung cancer. Lung cancer causes more deaths-around 1.3 million worldwide annually-than any other cancer; five-year survival is only around 10% in Europe due to late disease detection. Low-dose spiral CT of the chest effectively detects early-stage lung cancer in high-risk individuals; however the high detection of benign lesions has hampered the introduction of large-scale screening programmes. Ugo Pastorino from the National Institute of Cancer, Milan, Italy, Peter Boyle from the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy, and colleagues investigated the efficacy of repeated yearly spiral CT and selective use of PET (to increase the accuracy of CT) in a large population of high-risk volunteers. Over 1000 heavy smokers (minimum consumption 26 cigarettes a day for 37 years) aged 50 years or older underwent annual low-dose spiral CT, with or without PET, for 5 years. Lesions up to 5 mm were deemed non-suspicious and low-dose spiral CT was repeated after 12 months (year 2). Ugo Pastorino comments: "We have shown that low-dose spiral CT combined with selective use of PET can effectively detect early lung cancer. A more conservative approach to very small CT-detected nodules is justified, and lesions up to 5 mm can be followed up at 12 months without major risks of progression. Although prospective randomised trials are the proper instrument with which to measure the ultimate outcome of any screening policy, pilot studies addressing specific technical issues and methods are of fundamental importance in a phase of accelerated development of imaging and molecular technology, to design the optimum protocol to be tested in large-scale trials." In an accompanying Commentary (p 588), Stefan Diederich from Marien-Hospital, Düsseldorf, Germany, concludes: "The study by Pastorino and colleagues adds an important aspect to the field of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography - ie, simplification of the diagnostic algorithm for nodule classification. More data are required to define the ideal algorithm. Furthermore, prospective randomised trials are underway to analyse whether regular low-dose computed tomography can, in fact, reduce mortality from lung cancer." | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Lung Cancer Current Events and Lung Cancer News Articles Drop in cancer deaths tied primarily to gains in behavior and screening Improvements in behavior and screening have contributed greatly to the 13 percent decline in cancer mortality since 1990, with better cancer treatments playing a supporting role, according to new research from David Cutler of Harvard University. Stanford blood scanner detects even faint indicators of cancer A team led by Stanford researchers has developed a prototype blood scanner that can find cancer markers in the bloodstream in early stages of the disease, potentially allowing for earlier treatment and dramatically improved chances of survival. Combining targeted therapy drugs may treat previously resistant tumors A team of cancer researchers from several Boston academic medical centers has discovered a potential treatment for a group of tumors that have resisted previous targeted therapy approaches. Tiny protein provokes healthy bonding between cells In human relationships, a certain "spark" often governs whether we prefer one person to another, and critical first impressions can occur within seconds. A team lead by Johns Hopkins researchers has found that cell-to-cell "friendships" operate in much the same way and that dysfunctional bonding is linked to the spread of cancer. MU study reveals effective anti-tobacco ads should either scare or disgust viewers Now's the perfect time to increase anti-smoking campaigns - Nov. 20 is the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout. Iressa proves just as effective as chemotherapy for lung cancer Gefitinib, also known as Iressa, the once-promising targeted therapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, has proven as effective as chemotherapy as a second-line therapy for the disease with far fewer side effects, according to an international Phase III clinical trial, led by researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Novel 4-drug combination proves safe for lung cancer treatment The four drug-combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel, with the targeted therapies bevacizumab (Avastin) and cetuximab (Erbitux), is safe and may improve survival for patients with advanced lung cancer, according to a cooperative group study led by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The miseries of allergies just may help prevent some cancers, study finds There may be a silver -- and healthy -- lining to the miserable cloud of allergy symptoms: Sneezing, coughing, tearing and itching just may help prevent cancer -- particularly colon, skin, bladder, mouth, throat, uterus and cervix, lung and gastrointestinal tract cancer, according to a new Cornell study. Researchers aim to over-stress already taxed mantle cell lymphoma cells Cancer cells are already stressed by the fast pace they require to grow and spread and scientists believe a little more stress just may kill them. Researchers describe how chronic inflammation can lead to stomach cancer A multi-center research team, led by Columbia University Medical Center, has uncovered a major contributor to the cause of stomach cancer - the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. More Lung Cancer Current Events and Lung Cancer News Articles |
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