Early Lung Cancer Action Program

Cancer (Oncology)

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It's quick. It's painless. And it could save your life. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is at the forefront of research and technology in its use of a low-dose CT scan that is helping to detect a tumor long before it would appear on an X-ray. CT scans produce both horizontal and vertical cross-sectional image of the body, making it easier to visualize any developing tumors. The low-dose CT used for screening takes less than 20 seconds of scanning time and requires only slightly more radiation than a chest X-ray.

In fact, researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center conducted the first clinical study of this early detection method. A major study led by NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, called the Early Lung Cancer Action Program (ELCAP), screened 1,000 high-risk people and found more than 80 percent of lung cancers diagnosed during the screening were in the earliest, most curable stage. Further studies have shown that if lung cancer nodules are detected and removed in its initial phase, the five-year survival rate can exceed 70 percent. When lung cancer is detected at a later stage, the survival rate is much lower. Not only does the new screening method improve a patient's chance for a cure, it also compares favorably in cost to other widely accepted cancer screening methods, according to a recent study based on data from ELCAP.

CT screening is currently recommended for men and women over the age of 60 who have a smoking history equivalent to 10 pack years (smoked one pack a day for 10 years, 2 packs a day for 5 years).