The Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) moved lung cancer screening to a national platform by announcing a Framework for Lung Cancer Screening Excellence, which includes a bill of rights for the at-risk public and guiding principles for lung cancer screening sites.
“The science is indisputable: Screening those at high risk for lung cancer with low-dose CT scans can save tens of thousands of lives each year,” said LCA President and CEO Laurie Fenton Ambrose. “We are moving forward now with thoughtful and responsible leaders to bring this benefit of screening to those at high risk for lung cancer safely, efficiently, and effectively,” she said.
Barely Changed Survival Rate
By announcing the first-of-its-kind national framework for lung cancer screening, the Lung Cancer Alliance is breaking through the status quo on lung cancer, whose 15% survival rate has barely changed in 40 years. More people die of lung cancer than the next four leading causes of cancer death—breast, prostate, colon, and pancreatic cancers—combined.
“If properly implemented, lung cancer screening has the potential to save more lives than anything we have done since the War on Cancer began,” said James L. Mulshine, MD, Associate Provost for Research and Director of the Translational Sciences Consortium at Rush Medical College.
Guiding Principles
The National Framework states that the public has a right to know if they are at risk, that low-dose CT screening can save their lives, and that they should only go to sites that follow certain Guiding Principles, which are listed at www.screenforlungcancer.org/national-framework/.
“Proper implementation must include a comprehensive Continuum of Care that includes a team of clinical specialists with expertise in pulmonary disease, thoracic surgery, radiology, and oncology,” said William R. Mayfield, MD, Chief Surgical Officer for WellStar Health Systems, whose group developed the well-designed protocol included in the Framework.■
