LCA Hails International Investigators Studying Lung Cancer

Recommendations to Help Doctors and Patients More Precisely Stage, Diagnose, and Treat Lung Cancer

SEOUL, KOREA [September 4, 2007] – Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), the only US-based organization devoted exclusively to patient support and advocacy for those living with or at risk for lung cancer, hailed today’s presentation by lead investigators of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) at the 12th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), as a significant development in how doctors and patients will more precisely stage, diagnosis and treat lung cancer. 

Every seven years international staging guidelines undergo a reevaluation to determine whether changes need to be made to the staging classification system.  This is important because precise staging will provide clinicians with a common basis for the selection of the clinical management to minimize possible side effects while optimizing the chance of a favorable outcome for patients.

The IASLC study, which collected data on more than 100,000 patients worldwide, confirmed that in the last decade improvements in understanding tumor characteristics, emergence of new anti-cancer therapy and advancements in technology, particularly CT and PET scans, have allowed for a more precise analysis of tumor (T), lymph node (N) and metastasis (M) descriptors that make up the lung cancer staging system.

“Patients diagnosed with lung cancer will now benefit from a more accurate assessment of their disease, its staging and treatment protocols”, said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, President of Lung Cancer Alliance.  “By continuing to refine our knowledge – we will more positively impact patient outcomes.  I applaud IASLC for significant contribution   in this area.”

The IASLC study recommendations are due to be implemented in 2009 upon publication by the International Union Against Cancer and the American Joint Committee on Cancer.

Patients will not be negatively impacted by this reclassification.  

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