By Tamer Aboalenin GENEVA, April 18 (KUNA) -- New techniques for early detection of lung cancer are showing substantial promise, according to presentations on Wednesday at the 3rd European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC) in Geneva.
"Currently, low-dose CT is the only early detection modality that has shown to improve survival rates. However, identifying persons at risk for lung cancer by methods that use less radiation, would be preferable. In this meeting three such methods are presented which hold some promise for future studies," commented Egbert F. Smit, professor of pulmunary medicine at the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, member of the IASLC Prevention, Screening and Early Detection Committee.
A fast and inexpensive new imaging technique, called digital chest tomosynthesis, is a promising method for lung cancer screening, report Dr Luca Bertolaccini and Dr Alberto Terzi from S. Croce e Carle Hospital in Cuneo, Italy.
Dr Bertolaccini and colleagues from the Thoracic Surgery Unit directed by Dr Terzi analyzed data from over 1,500 patients with no previous evidence of cancer, who were screened using the technique. They identified abnormalities in the lungs of 268 subjects, of whom 16 (1.07 per cent) were found to have lung cancer.
"Digital tomography takes about 11 seconds," Dr Bertolaccini said. "The lung cancer detection rate using digital chest tomography is in line with the detection rate of previous studies using computed tomography. The 1 per cent detection rate is adequate for lung cancer screening and the cost is by far lower then using low-dose CT scan." Based on their experience, the Italian group believes the new technology holds great promise. "Compared to chest CT, patients who underwent digital chest tomography received a far lower radiation dose. Digital chest tomography seems to be a promising first-line tool for lung cancer screening." Further multicenter studies are needed to confirm the clinical role for the technique in the detection or evaluation of lung nodules, the researchers said. "Digital chest tomography systems for chest imaging are currently available and are not very expensive, and in the coming years we hope that clinical experience will guide the development of optimal clinical utilization strategies," Dr Bertolaccini said.
A blood test that detects antibodies to a protein known as BARD1 could also be used to detect the telltale signs of lung cancer, said researchers from University Hospitals Geneva.
BARD1 is a protein that is known to drive the development of cancer. Particular forms of the protein, known as BARD1-beta and BARD1-pi are specifically upregulated and correlated with a poor prognosis in lung cancer.
In another study, researchers described promising results with a novel approach to screening for lung cancer by examining the cells on the inside of their cheek.
Dr Hemant Roy, from NorthShore University HealthSystem and University of Chicago Medical Center and colleagues at Northwestern University, pointed out that the cells inside the mouth, the buccal mucosa, offer a good opportunity to identify potentially cancerous changes that may be going on in the lungs. (end) ta.nfm KUNA 181514 Apr 12NNNN