Fri 10 March 2023 10:31 am
DRACHTEN – Nij Smellinghe Hospital in Drachten will be one of three screening locations in the Netherlands for the new European pilot population study 4-IN-THE-LUNG-RUN. The invitation letters to potential participants were sent out this week.
The pilot population screening aims to detect lung cancer at an early stage. “From our social role, Nij Smellinghe contributes in various ways to the prevention and early detection of diseases. We are pleased that we can be of significance and can contribute to the early detection of lung cancer,” says radiologist Daniël Lubbers.
Research (Nelson study) shows that early detection can reduce mortality from lung cancer by 25% or more. For the Netherlands, this is about 1,500 to 2,500 people every year.
Research is vital
With lung cancer, noticeable symptoms often only arise when the cancer is in a later stage. The disease is then more difficult to treat. If lung cancer is detected at an early stage, less intensive treatment is often required. The chance of dying from lung cancer is smaller.
In the Netherlands, lung cancer is diagnosed in approximately 14,000 people every year and at least 10,000 people die from this disease each year. Only 3 out of 100 people are alive after five years if the tumor is detected at a late stage (stage IV).
At an early stage (stage I), this is still about 60 out of 100 people. The detection of small abnormalities in the lungs when there are no complaints is therefore of vital importance.
The 2020 NELSON study shows that early detection of lung cancer with a CT scan in smokers and ex-smokers can reduce lung cancer mortality by 25% or more. For the Netherlands, this means that screening for lung cancer will eventually reduce the number of deaths from lung cancer by 1,500 to 2,500 people per year.
Early detection of lung cancer
The pilot population study consists of a CT examination of the lungs for the participants. These weeks, residents of the Drachten region between the ages of 60 and 79 will receive an invitation to participate. Through an (online) questionnaire it becomes clear whether they are eligible for a CT scan.
Researcher Carlijn van der Aalst of Erasmus MC: “This study is intended for people who have smoked for a long time in their lives or have smoked for a long time in the past. The aim is to detect lung cancer at an early stage.”
CT-scan met lage dosis straling
Radiologist Dr. Lubbers: “In Nij Smellinghe we have a high-quality CT scanner. This allows us, for example in a screening setting, to diagnose lung cancer at an early stage with very little X-rays with razor-sharp, detailed images. That is why Nij Smellinghe was chosen as one of the three screening locations. Our hospital purchased this modern CT scanner three years ago to contribute to the further development of care, both in the field of diagnosis and treatment and in the field of preventive care.”
Because of the low radiation dose and detailed images, this CT scanner is also used to determine blood flow problems in an acute stroke of the entire brain, to make razor-sharp images of a moving heart and the coronary arteries and in children.
Study
Erasmus MC is the main applicant for the pilot population study in the Netherlands. Institute for DiagNostic Accuracy (iDNA) is the coordinator of the CT screening, the radiological assessments and the Artificial Intelligence technology. There will be screening locations in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy and France. There are three screening locations in the Netherlands: Nij Smellinghe Drachten hospital, the AVL Center for Early Diagnosis of the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek / Netherlands Cancer Institute (Amsterdam) and the Link2Care screening center (Bilthoven).
4-IN-THE-LUNG-RUN is currently a pilot population study. The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport will decide whether the study will ultimately be rolled out nationally and possibly throughout the European Union. In parallel, Erasmus MC is investigating three main questions in this study: how can we best reach and inform the people who are most at risk of lung cancer? How often should we repeat a CT scan if no abnormalities are found the first time? And: how can smoking cessation be stimulated and how can cessation support be given?
Dr. Lubbers: “This large-scale study can provide us with clear insights into the role of targeted early detection of lung cancer and its effect on treatment, and if possible contribute to a population screening for lung cancer. We look forward to the results of this European study and are happy to contribute.”