Lung Cancer

Grim statistics: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States with more than 160,340 deaths a year, translating to 439 deaths a day, according to estimates of American Cancer Society.²  More than 50 percent of lung cancer is diagnosed in advanced stages and incurable, with five-year survival rate of less than 1 percent. However, early detection of lung cancer leads to longer survival and higher cure rate, with 92 percent five-year survival for Stage 1 disease.¹ 

Recent advances: Recently, the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) showed that low-dose CT scan (LDCT) screening modality decreases lung cancer mortality by 20 percent.³ This study demonstrated high sensitivity compared to conventional chest x-ray but has high false positive rates. This is the first time that a screening test showed decrease in mortality related to lung cancer.

Our care program: The University of Kansas Cancer Center has implemented a comprehensive lung cancer screening program. It includes smoking cessation counseling, multidisciplinary team with radiologist, pulmonologist, radiation oncologist, surgeon and medical oncology to manage and treat newly detected lung cancer and a nurse navigator to help coordinate the care of patients screened.

The lung cancer group is also developing a study to help increase the accuracy of LDCT.  The study will incorporate the addition of a blood test currently available and also further genetic analysis to enhance the diagnostic precision of LDCT.

Lung Cancer Site Team's mission: "To provide exceptional clinical care with the latest advances in medical therapy and multidisciplinary approach; to advance the care of lung cancer patients through integration of clinical and basic science translational research; to educate the community by increasing awareness and knowledge of early detection and prevention; to accomplish these aspirations with the patient's well-being as the core of our mission by way of empathy and efficiency."

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Clinical Trials

Featured Trial: A Phase III Randomized Trial of Adjuvant Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab for Patients with Completely Resected Stage IB (≥ 4 cm) - IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): PI: Dr. Peter Van Veldhuizen

• Learn more about this study at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00324805

Other Lung Trials

Clinical Trial Main Page | Lung Cancer Trials 

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Support Groups

Turning Point: Support for serious or chronic physical illness in the KC area
Gilda's Club: Support for all cancers and stages
Cancer Action: For programs and services of persons with cancer, their family, and friend

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References

1. The International Early Lung Cancer Action Program Investigators. Survival of Patients with Stage I Lung Cancer Detected on CT Screening. N Engl J Med 2006; 355: 1763-1771.
2. ACS Facts and Figures 2012.
3. The National Lung Screening Trial Research Team. Reduced lung-cancer mortality with low-dose computed tomographic screening. N Engl J Med 2011; 365-409.