A recent study of low-dose CT lung cancer screening results reinforces the technology’s importance for screening those at risk of mesothelioma. Researchers from Brown University found that the protocol has detected “significant incidental findings” linked to increased risk of extrapulmonary cancer diagnoses—including cancers affecting the pleura.
Low-Dose CT Lung Screening Leads to Detection of Extrapulmonary Cancers
The results of the study, published in JAMA Network Open, are a confirmation of the usefulness of low-dose CT for those at risk of mesothelioma. The researchers analyzed over 26,000 participants in the National Lung Screening Trial’s low-dose CT arm, finding that 67 of 1,807 patients with significant incidental findings had extrapulmonary cancer diagnoses in the year following screening. “Incidental findings” refers to unexpected abnormalities or spots discovered by chance, unrelated to the original reason for the scan, and “extrapulmonary” means occurring or located outside the lungs. The category includes the pleura — the protective lining surrounding the lungs, which is the most common site for this asbestos-related cancer.
For individuals with an asbestos exposure history, these screening findings are particularly significant since pleural abnormalities may represent early-stage mesothelioma. Though an asbestos history alone generally doesn’t meet traditional lung cancer screening criteria, the study’s results confirm that regular screening could catch this aggressive disease at more treatable stages, when surgical options like pleurectomy/decortication remain viable.
“These findings suggest that certain significant incidental findings should be evaluated as potential indicators of undiagnosed cancers,” wrote lead author Ilana F. Gareen, PhD, noting that “early detection of these cancers may facilitate early treatment and potentially reduce associated morbidity and mortality.” For individuals with an asbestos exposure history,
Low-Dose CT Screening Can Identify Abnormalities Suggesting Mesothelioma
For asbestos-exposed individuals, the study’s implications are clear: low-dose CT scans can detect abnormalities indicating potential pleural mesothelioma long before symptoms appear. Since mesothelioma typically develops 20-50 years after asbestos exposure, regular screening for high-risk populations could identify cases at stage I, when survival rates are significantly better than for advanced-stage diagnoses. While researchers noted that just 3% of those with incidental findings later had a cancer diagnosed, “it is hard to imagine a scenario in which an incidental finding with even a possibility of representing cancer would be disregarded”—particularly for mesothelioma, where delayed diagnosis often proves fatal.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
