Lung cancer and the importance of early diagnosis

Every 30 seconds, someone, somewhere in the world dies of lung cancer. Globally, the four cancers with the highest mortality rates are lung, colorectal, liver and stomach cancers. Of these, lung cancer is without a doubt the deadliest, accounting for 1.8 million deaths worldwide in 2020 alone. In comparison, colorectal, liver and stomach cancers accounted for an estimated 935 thousand, 830 thousand, and 770 thousand deaths in 2020, respectively according to WHO data, GLOBOCAN 2020.?

Lung cancer survival rates are also markedly lower when compared with other cancers. From the statistics by the U.S. National Institute Of Health, SEER Cancer Statistics 2012-2018, the five-year survival rate of lung cancer (18.6 percent) is lower than colorectal (64.5 percent), breast (89.6 percent) and prostate cancer (98.2 percent).

Many gaps remain in the management of lung cancer, particularly in diagnosis of the disease. Many patients are diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, and this may be because the symptoms of lung cancer often do not manifest until the disease is already at an advanced stage. Oftentimes, symptoms of lung cancer may be mistaken for other health problems such as chronic bronchitis or long-term effects of smoking. Also from the stats by the U.S. National Institute Of Health, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer is 56 percent for cases that are detected at an earlier stage (when the cancer is still localized within the lungs). However, only 16 percent of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage.

Screening and early detection increases survival rate

It’s not all bad news though. The good news is that screening and early detection can significantly improve survival rates. Patients with stage IA lung cancer have a high 5-year survival rate exceeding 75 percent, but the average 5-year survival rate for stage IV lung cancer is less than 10 percent also from the U.S. National Institute of Health statistics. Early screening and diagnosis are thus the most effective methods for improving long-term survival and this is a field that has seen a lot of research and advancements.

In recent years, the introduction of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening has facilitated the detection of early-stage lung cancer. LDCT produces images which assist in the detection of suspicious areas while utilizing approximately five times less ionizing radiation than a conventional CT scan according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute. American Cancer Society’s research has shown that yearly LDCT scans to screen people at higher risk of lung cancer can save lives. For these people, getting yearly LDCT scans before the onset of symptoms helps lower the risk of dying from lung cancer and there is convincing evidence in the UK Lung Cancer RCT Pilot Screening Trial (2015) that there are 15-20 percent fewer lung cancer deaths among patients who have been screened with LDCT.?

In March 2021, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) expanded its guidelines for annual lung cancer screenings using LDCT. With these new guidelines, close to 14 million Americans now fall under the high-risk category and are recommended for annual LDCT scans. This is significant as the American Lung Association estimated that if all qualified individuals had been screened, close to 48,000 lung-cancer deaths could have been prevented in 2020.

Solutions for staging and diagnosis

Taking into consideration the benefits of early detection and the need for accurate diagnostic and staging solutions in lung cancer, it is now more important than ever to have a single medical solutions partner that can meet the needs of lung cancer management across staging and diagnosis. Olympus provides a broad and innovative portfolio that covers technologies to assist throughout lung cancer staging and diagnosis.

One of these technologies that we are proud to have introduced to lung cancer diagnostics is the endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), which is the combination of a bronchoscope and an ultrasound probe that enables visualization and sampling of the mediastinal, central and hilar lesions and lymph nodes within the tracheobronchial tree. Since 2013, the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines on lung cancer diagnosis and management have recommended EBUS-TBNA as the gold standard for mediastinal nodal sampling or comprehensive nodal staging – an important procedure for helping determine the spread of cancer in the lungs.??

Awareness is key

Medical solutions aside, we also recognize that awareness is key. As a global leader in bronchoscopy and other respiratory diseases, Olympus is committed to increasing awareness on lung cancer and screening via global awareness campaigns. Each November, which is Lung Cancer Awareness Month in the US, Olympus in the Americas promotes awareness via proactive communications relating to lung cancer screening guidelines and the role of Olympus’ minimally invasive devices (such as bronchoscopes, needles for transthoracic biopsy, and ultrasound endoscopic systems) in early detection and accurate diagnosis of lung cancer. Let’s all continue to work together to increase awareness of the benefits of early screening and detection, and work to reduce mortality rates of this deadly disease.?