| There is one indisputable fact about lung cancer -- | | | | stages. Further, those who were detected with |
| the earlier the disease is detected, the better the | | | | relatively slow-growing tumors had to undergo |
| chances of curing it. This is why lung cancer | | | | surgery and other treatments that were not |
| screening is of prime importance. | | | | really needed. |
| Doctors point out that although the overall | | | | However, many things have changed since the |
| survival rate for lung cancer at the five-year | | | | time those studies were done. Today, x-rays are |
| mark is only 15%, the survival rate for those | | | | far more sensitive than they were back then. In |
| whose cancer was detected early and could be | | | | addition, there is a battery of refined tests |
| surgically treated is as high as 80%. For this | | | | available that can be used to follow up on any |
| reason, some doctors recommend periodic lung | | | | problems detected with the x-ray. |
| cancer screening with chest x-rays. | | | | A new study is being conducted by the National |
| Once this disease has progressed somewhat, it | | | | Cancer Institute on a group of 150,000 healthy |
| will spread rapidly to other areas of the lung and | | | | adults. This study, sponsored by the American |
| to critical organs all over the body. At that stage, | | | | government, divides these 150,000 people into |
| surgery is no longer a viable treatment method. | | | | two equal groups -- one group is screened |
| Unfortunately, the early stages of lung cancer do | | | | annually with x-rays, while the other (forming the |
| not give rise to any alarming symptoms. Common | | | | control group) does not receive such screening. |
| symptoms include a persistent cough, a tendency | | | | The preliminary results show that about doctors |
| to get respiratory illnesses, etc. These symptoms | | | | found something abnormal in almost 6,000 people. |
| are not linked to lung cancer alone. This is why | | | | They were followed upon with CAT scans, more |
| lung cancer is rarely diagnosed till it is too late. | | | | x-rays and other diagnostic tests. From among |
| In this context, regular screening for lung cancer | | | | these people, 206 had biopsies done. Eventually, |
| -- at least for those who are most at risk of | | | | 126 people were diagnosed with cancer. This is |
| developing it, like smokers -- seems like a sensible | | | | only 2.1% of the original group of 6,000 with |
| choice. However, unlike in the case of many other | | | | abnormalities in their x-rays. |
| diseases (including other cancers), there is no truly | | | | The bad news is that the 6,000 represent a large |
| effective screening test available for lung cancer. | | | | number of false positives. It resulted in |
| In most cases, lung cancer is detected when | | | | unnecessary follow up x-rays, CAT scans, etc. |
| doing tests like chest x-rays for other health | | | | The good news is that out of those detected |
| problems. Because of the risks involved, most | | | | with cancer, fully 44% were at the earliest |
| doctors do not recommend chest x-rays as a | | | | stages of the disease -- when the cancer is most |
| routine screening procedure. Many believed (till | | | | treatable and the chances of survival highest. |
| recently) that chest x-rays can be fairly | | | | The final results from this ongoing study will only |
| misleading when it comes to detecting cancer. | | | | be available some years from now. But based on |
| This conclusion was based on studies conducted | | | | the preliminary results, it appears that regular lung |
| during the 1970s. Those studies showed that | | | | cancer screening with chest x-rays may help at |
| chest x-rays were not effective at detecting | | | | early detection and a better cure-rate for this |
| dangerous, fast-spreading tumors at the earliest | | | | disease. |