| Cancer survival rates differ according to | | | | known as the International Early Lung Cancer |
| whatever type of cancer you have and also the | | | | Action Project (I-ELCAP). |
| stage that it is diagnosed. One of the worst | | | | Surgery is effective in curing this cancer is stage |
| cancer statistics anywhere in the world is lung | | | | 1, later it is too advanced to make much |
| cancer. Published 5-year survival for patients with | | | | difference and the reason that the cancer rate |
| lung cancer varies from 5% to 16% internationally. | | | | survival statistics are so dismal is the fact that it |
| One of the reasons that the cancer survival rates | | | | is rarely detected at stage 1. |
| differ so widely is the fact that the statistical | | | | Later studies from 1993 to 2005 in the United |
| information is not always in the public domain, and | | | | States, Europe, Israel, China, and Japan screened |
| each individual study collects and interprets the | | | | 31,567 asymptomatic persons at high risk |
| data differently according to the abstract of the | | | | followed by repeat screenings in 27,456 of these |
| study. In other words each cancer statistic is as | | | | individuals. 484 people were diagnosed with lung |
| unique as you are. | | | | cancer, and 412 or 85% of these were Stage I. |
| Data from the US indicates a 5-year survival rate | | | | Of the 412 patients with stage I, 302 underwent |
| of up to 16% although this figure cannot be relied | | | | surgical solutions within four weeks and within this |
| on because it excludes seventy five percent of | | | | group, the survival rate was 92%. |
| the population, so as a statistic it does not apply | | | | The estimated 10 year survival rate for the 484 |
| to the population as a whole. To make a valid | | | | participants with lung cancer was over 80 percent |
| comparison of mortality rates for cancer survival | | | | that is the highest percentage for survival ever |
| rates is no different from making valid statistical | | | | recorded in a cancer study. In contrast the |
| evidence in any other disease, the data has to | | | | statistical cancer five year survival rates for stage |
| have been collected and examined in the same | | | | IV can be as low as 5%. Some elected not to |
| way. ( Respiratory Medicine, Volume 100, Issue 9, | | | | receive treatment and all were dead within five |
| Pages 1642-1646 C. Butler, K. Darragh, G. Currie, | | | | years. All the participants were at risk of lung |
| W. Anderson, Respiratory Medicine, Volume 100, | | | | cancer as they were all older than forty and |
| Issue 9, Pages 1642-1646). Being frightened by | | | | either they smoked or had smoked or they were |
| statistics or even worse believing statistics can | | | | exposed to known carcinogenic substances such |
| affect how you survive or not your cancer. | | | | as asbestos, uranium, radon or beryllium, uranium |
| Changing the Face of Cancer Survival Statistics | | | | or radon, or they had occupations which exposed |
| Statistics come down to risks at the end of the | | | | them to passive smoking. |
| day and your risk of getting cancer. In the United | | | | As with anything else the cost effectiveness of |
| States the statistics for lung cancer reveal that it | | | | the screening has to be measured against the |
| kills more people than those that die from breast | | | | cost of treatment. It costs twice as much to |
| cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and cervical | | | | treat lung cancer in its late stages than it does for |
| cancer combined. However that is due to the fact | | | | stage 1 treatment. The charge for a low dose CT |
| that there is widespread screening beyond a | | | | screening scan is between $200 - $300. New |
| certain age for prostrate, breast and cervical | | | | technology has made the screening more |
| cancer. | | | | effective because when CT was new it was only |
| The New England Journal of Medicine of October | | | | capable of yielding thirty images now over 600 |
| 26, 2006 reported that eighty percent of deaths | | | | are possible. |
| from lung cancer were potentially avoidable. Spiral | | | | To a certain extent there is resistance to |
| computed tomography (CT) scanning has the | | | | scanning for lung cancer because often it is not |
| potential to detect it at its early stage 1 stage, at | | | | regarded as a disease but as a reprimand or |
| this stage it is a curable cancer. The reason that | | | | retribution. Also there is little consensus as to |
| the mortality rates are so bleak is the fact that | | | | what constitutes a high risk population, because |
| by the time most people realize that they have | | | | although it has been known for a century that |
| this cancer, it is too far advanced to do anything | | | | smoking contributes to cancer, by no means all |
| about it. | | | | smokers develop lung cancer. However better |
| The initial study was carried out at the New York | | | | genetic pointers will be available in the future and |
| Weill Cornell Medical Center during 1993 and has | | | | that will make it easier to predict exactly those at |
| subsequently expanded into an international study | | | | risk and that will make the possibility of screening |
| of 38 institutions in 7 countries and become | | | | more likely. |