Early-stage lung cancer presents incidentally. Is it time for a national lung cancer screening program?

Title: Early-stage lung cancer presents incidentally. Is it time for a national lung cancer screening program?
Author(s): R. Keane G. Cogan I. Counihan
Institution: Respiratory Department, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland
Poster: Click to view poster
Category: Lung Cancer and Bronchoscopy
Abstract: Lung cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer worldwide. The overall survival rate remains poor as most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Lung cancer screening (LCS) has been implemented in the USA and China following the National Lung Screening Trial which showed significant reduction in lung cancer mortality with CT screening. A large European trial, NELSON trial, published similar results.

The aim of this retrospective, single centre study was to evaluate the percentage of people with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent radical treatment that were incidentally diagnosed to explore the benefits of a possible screening program.

43 patients diagnosed with stage I/II NSCLC who underwent radical treatment were identified in a Level-4 hospital in Ireland from 2018 to the end of 2020. 56% (n=24) of these patients had an incidental diagnosis with a mean age of 67.75 years, 95% CI [64.4–71.1]. 92% (n=22) had a history of smoking and 54% were male. During the same period, 68% (n=121) of patients diagnosed with stage III/IV NSCLC (n=178), mean age 68.9 years, received anti-cancer treatment.

This study supports the urgent exploration of the feasibility of LCS in an Irish population.