Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
Health

New Guidelines Back CT Scans For Lung Cancer Screening In Longtime Smoke

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 07 Mar, 2016 10:33 AM
    TORONTO — New guidelines suggest adults aged 55 to 74 who are at high risk of lung cancer due to a history of smoking should be screened annually over three consecutive years using low-dose CT scans.
     
    The guidelines from the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care apply to current smokers and those who have quit within the past 15 years with at least a so-called 30 pack-year history of smoking.
     
    A 30 pack-year history would include a person who smoked one pack a day for 30 years, or two packs a day for 15 years.
     
    The guidelines are based on recent studies, including a clinical trial that found a 15 per cent reduction in lung cancer deaths among those screened with a CT scan compared to a chest X-ray.   
     
    The task force advises against screening for lung cancer with chest X-rays. It also does not recommend screening among adults outside the 55 to 74 age range, regardless of their smoking history. 
     
     
     
    Lung cancer is the most common cancer in Canada and the No. 1 cause of death from cancer. In 2015, about 26,600 Canadians were diagnosed with lung cancer, and almost 21,000 died from the disease.
     
    "Screening for lung cancer aims to detect disease at an earlier stage, when it may respond better to treatment and be less likely to cause serious illness or death," Dr. Gabriela Lewin, chairwoman of the task force's working group, said in a release Monday.
     
    The recommendations do not apply to people with a family history of lung cancer or those with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer. For people with other risk factors for lung cancer — such as exposure to radon or second-hand smoke, or previous radiation to the chest — it is unknown whether there is benefit from screening with low-dose CT, the authors said.
     
    The guidelines are published in Monday's edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

    MORE Health ARTICLES

    Much Yet To Know About Women's Heart, Says PIO Cardiologist

    Much Yet To Know About Women's Heart, Says PIO Cardiologist
    The American Heart Association (AHA) has for the first time issued a scientific statement on female heart attacks, underscoring knowledge gaps and outlining the priority steps needed to better understand and treat heart disease in women.

    Much Yet To Know About Women's Heart, Says PIO Cardiologist

    What To Know About The Tropical Zika Virus In Latin America

    What To Know About The Tropical Zika Virus In Latin America
    The mosquito-borne Zika virus usually causes a mild illness but is now suspected in an unusual birth defect and possibly other health issues. Some things to know:

    What To Know About The Tropical Zika Virus In Latin America

    Are You Suffering From 'Smartphone Pinky' Or 'WhatsAppitis'? Read On

    Are You Suffering From 'Smartphone Pinky' Or 'WhatsAppitis'? Read On
    Have you noticed that your fingers are turning 'Pinky’ lately as you are busy chatting and texting on smartphone? If yes then you are not alone.

    Are You Suffering From 'Smartphone Pinky' Or 'WhatsAppitis'? Read On

    CDC Expands Tropical Virus Alert; 22 Destinations On List

    CDC Expands Tropical Virus Alert; 22 Destinations On List
    Health authorities have added eight tropical destinations to a travel alert about an illness linked with a severe birth defect and spread by mosquitoes.

    CDC Expands Tropical Virus Alert; 22 Destinations On List

    Exercise Counters Brain Shrinkage In Parkinson's Disease

    Exercise Counters Brain Shrinkage In Parkinson's Disease
    By protecting the brain from shrinkage, aerobic exercise may slow the progression of Parkinsons disease, a progressive disorder of the nervous system, says a neurologist.

    Exercise Counters Brain Shrinkage In Parkinson's Disease

    CDC: Ask Pregnant Women About Trips To Zika Outbreak Areas

    CDC: Ask Pregnant Women About Trips To Zika Outbreak Areas
    NEW YORK — U.S. health officials issued new guidance Tuesday for doctors whose pregnant patients may have travelled to regions with a tropical illness linked to birth defects.

    CDC: Ask Pregnant Women About Trips To Zika Outbreak Areas