Currently, lung cancer screening guidelines exclude two-thirds of patients who develop these diseases and entirely miss those unaware of their mesothelioma risk. That’s what a Northwestern Medicine study of nearly 1,000 consecutive lung cancer patients found: Only 35 percent of people diagnosed with the critical illness would have qualified for screening under current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force criteria. The research, recently published in JAMA Network Open, recommends expanding to universal age-based screening for adults ages 40 to 85.
Lung Cancer Risk Factors Extend Beyond Smoking
The researchers found that the current screening criteria for lung cancer focus narrowly on smoking history while excluding many other vulnerable individuals, including women, never-smokers, and those exposed to occupational or environmental carcinogens like asbestos, which would also encompass potential mesothelioma patients. They conclude that broader screening practices would be cost-effective, would pose minimal risks from radiation exposure, be less intrusive and costly than biopsies, and most importantly, have the potential of detecting 94 percent of lung cancers and preventing more than 26,000 extra deaths annually.
Lung cancer can develop from multiple exposures beyond tobacco: Like mesothelioma, it can be caused by asbestos exposure from occupational settings or environmental sources; COVID-19 lung damage; wildfire smoke; industrial pollution; high radon levels; secondhand smoke; vaping; and marijuana use.
Long Latency and Misconceptions Contribute to High Rate of Death
Lung cancer remains America’s deadliest cancer, accounting for one in every five cancer deaths. According to Dr. Ankit Bharat, chief of thoracic surgery and executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute, a lack of early screening means that nearly 80 percent of cases aren’t discovered until they have reached advanced stages.
Like mesothelioma, the disease has a long latency period, with symptoms rarely appearing until it’s too late for effective treatment. That, along with the widespread misconception that only smokers develop lung cancer, has led to these devastating statistics and has left asbestos-exposed workers, environmental exposure victims, and never-smokers with limited screening access. The study concludes that using low-dose CT scans for lung disease screening would offer a comprehensive health assessment beyond lung cancer and mesothelioma detection. A 10-second scan requiring no intravenous dyes would provide complete chest cavity pictures that would also identify cardiovascular risk and early osteoporosis signs.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer or mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can provide you with the resources you need. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
