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Guidelines recommend low-dose CT scans for those at high risk for lung cancer
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In the third edition of its lung cancer guidelines, the American College of Chest Physicians recommended low-dose CT scanning as a screening procedure for those at high risk for lung cancer.
Those with increasing age and smoking history are considered high risk. The evidence of the benefits of low-dose CT scanning was not available when the previous guidelines were published in 2007, the authors noted.
The guidelines were published as a special supplement of Chest, the peer-reviewed journal associated with the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP).
The guidelines also document advances in several areas of lung cancer-related clinical activities, including tobacco cessation programs and treatment in all modalities, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Minimally invasive surgery, the benefits of specialized treatment centers and novel approaches such as stereotactic body radiosurgery and molecular-based targeted chemotherapy are highlighted in the document.
Symptom control and palliative care can improve quality of life among patients with lung cancer, the authors said. They documented tools for easing pain and facilitating end-of-life care.
Complementary therapies also are addressed. These include acupuncture, nutrition and mind-body therapies.
“Our new lung cancer guidelines take into account the many advances and new information in the field by providing comprehensive and nuanced recommendations related to prevention, screening, diagnosis, staging, and medical and surgical treatments,” W. Michael Alberts, MD, MBA, FCCP, vice president of medical affairs at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Fla., and chairman of the guideline panel, said in a press release. “It also showcases the importance of multidisciplinary, team-based care when it comes to effective lung cancer treatment. Collaborative decisions based on collective knowledge provide the most comprehensive patient-focused care.”
Several other organizations endorsed the guidelines, including the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Oncology Nursing Society, American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology, and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.