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Lung Cancer: Cure rate can be as high as 80% to 90% if detected in early stage

We spoke to Dr. Ashwin Rajagopal, Consultant – Surgical Oncology, Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Center, Manipal Hospital, Varthur Road & Whitefield, who gave us some expert advice on dealing with Lung Cancer
 

Lung Cancer: Cure rate can be as high as 80% to 90% if detected in early stage RBA
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Bangalore, First Published Aug 3, 2022, 7:00 AM IST

As with many other cancers, early diagnosis has an enormous impact on survival. The major challenge is that most people with lung cancer only have symptoms when they are in later stages; in fact, only 18%-20% of lung cancers are diagnosed at the localised stage.

Screening with a low-dose CT scan has proven effective in the early detection of high-risk individuals. The National Lung Screening Trial and the NELSON trial demonstrated the benefit of helical CT in high-risk individuals. Due to a lack of sensitivity, Chest X-rays are not recommended for lung cancer screening.

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Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancer types. 

Survival in patients with lung cancer depends on several factors: when the lung cancer is detected, the type of lung cancer, patient's general condition and responsiveness to treatment. In early-stage lung cancer, the median Overall Survival (OS) is 40.4 months. This value decreased to 29.6 months with nodal metastasis. 

Considering the histological type, the survival rates for squamous cell carcinoma are worse than for adenocarcinoma. OS in central cancer is lower than in peripheral cancer.

Earlier diagnosis has an enormous impact on survival because with less spread; treatment has a better chance to be effective — 5-year survival increases from 6% for patients diagnosed with metastatic disease to 33% for regional spread and 60% for localized disease. Earlier diagnosis also enables more treatment options. 

Treatment advances have occurred across the board, from improved diagnostics and pathologic staging to targeted drugs and immunotherapies.

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There are many strategies available for Early lung cancer with both surgical (Lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection) and non-surgical approaches (stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Conventional open surgery is stressful on the body and can be risky for some people, such as those with poor nutrition or other lung and/or heart diseases. Fortunately, with the advent of robotic surgery, the pain and hospital and ICU stay has dramatically decreased.

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