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Thanks everyone who joined our recent Q2 Network meetings, including those who gave member updates. Here are our updates from this set of meetings:
Professor Stephen Lam | University of British Colombia | Canada | (verbal update)
Prof. Lam provided some reflections on the Lung Cancer Foundation Meeting in New York.
- Challenges of Lung cancer screening programs were discussed, these included.
- Poor screening uptake and adherence in some countries
- Guidelines and eligibility criteria, resulting in missed opportunity for earlier detection for certain groups
- Screening low risk individuals may detect more cancers, but can become cost ineffective.
- It was highlighted that there will be a large amount of lung cancer cases coming from Asia in the coming years. The example of China was used, with projected deaths due to lung cancer will reach 1.2 million in 2030.
- It was noted that risk protection models had not been working very well in some countries and it is important to ensure risk models is tailored to local risk and epidemiology.
- A tool is currently being developed that assesses air pollution exposure (PM2.5) during the screening process. This tool will be demonstrated at WCLCC.
- It was discussed that it can be difficult to define a non-solid nodule (ground glass), Prof. Lam’s team are looking at how AI could assist with this.
Dr Sebastian Schmidt | Siemens Healthineers | Germany | (presentation update)
Dr. Schmidt provided a regulatory update for lung cancer screening in Germany. Please refer to slides attached for detailed information
- From 1st July, lung cancer screening will be allowed in Germany, this means pilots can start soon. This follows a legislative change permitting use of radiation in screening for lung cancer.
- The country is currently in progress of determining reimbursement process for public health insurance and implementation rules.
- The aim would be to implement a formal program in approximately 18 months’ time.
- Screening criteria is likely to follow the Nelson criteria.
Professor John Field | University of Liverpool | United Kingdom | (verbal update)
Prof. Field provided an update of the recent publication on the UKLS analysis on screening eligibility and socioeconomic inequalities.
- A recent publication analysed the outcomes data from UKLS, finding that lower socioeconomic groups benefit as much as participants from higher-income groups in the UK.
- This publication also demonstrated that lung cancer screening was beneficial as it detected incidental findings, e.g. COPD, and lower socioeconomic groups benefited more from these incidental findings. However, it is not yet clear (as it was not assessed) as to whether this resulted in increased clinical care from a GP and better health outcomes.
- Important finding was the lung cancer was not ‘over diagnosed’ but resulted in earlier diagnosis than the control group (no screening).
Professor Luis Seijo | Universidad de Navarra | Spain | (verbal update)
- The Lung Ambition Alliance has been working on Spain care pathways for lung cancer that might be of interest to the network
Professor Claudia Henschke/Professor David Yenkelevitz/Professor Luis Seijo | Mount Sinai Hospital | USA | (verbal update)
- AGILE is a global alliance for lung cancer, emphysema and cardiovascular disease with the focus on screening and prevention.
- The first AGILE x I-ELCAP meeting was conducted in Madrid 2024 where they looking at the ‘big three’ lung cancer, heart failure and COPD, discussing how LDCT screening could be used to address these three significant morbidities.
- Three articles are to be published which cover each day of the Madrid meeting. Release date to be confirmed at later date, to be circulated among the Network
- Videos of the event can be found on the IELCAP website here.
- The I-ELCAP now has representation from Africa (Ethiopia and Ghana) who are interested in implementing lung cancer screening in these countries. Interestingly they have detected more lung cancer in their TB clinics than in clinical practice.
- Next AGILE x I-ELCAP meeting will be in Bangkok in April 2025.
Professor Dorith Shaham | Hadassah Medical Center | Israel (verbal update)
- The next I-ELCAP will occur on 19-21 September this year in New York, USA.
Dr Lucia Viola | Fundación Neumológica Colombiana | Colombia
- The 2nd Ibero-American Lung Cancer Screening Summit, will be held in Santiago de Chile under the Latin American Thoracic Society Annual Congress (ALAT) on 6-8 July.
- Further information on the Summit can be found here.