Washington, DC [September 25, 2018] – Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) applauds the results of the Dutch-Belgium Lung Cancer Screening trial (NELSON) announced today in Toronto, Canada at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

The NELSON study was a population-based, controlled trial that enrolled 15,792 individuals, who were randomized 1:1 to either the study arm or control arm. Study arm participants were offered CT screenings at baseline, one, three and five and one-half years after randomization. No screenings were offered to control arm participants. The follow-up period comprised a minimum of 10 years, unless deceased, for 93.7 percent of enrolled participants.

The study results, which are more favorable than the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial (NLST), reinforced the overall benefit of lung cancer screening across genders. In this trial, low dose CT screening decreased mortality by 26 percent in asymptomatic men at high risk for lung cancer. In a smaller subset of women, the results showed an even greater reduction of lung cancer mortality than in men.

“These results build on the landmark findings of the U.S. National Lung Screening Trial and provides the necessary European affirmation for the rollout of comprehensive lung cancer screening across Europe,” said James L. Mulshine, MD, Lung Cancer Alliance Board Member. “The resolve of the study team to complete this critical trial while overcoming limitations in financial support is most impressive.”

“This news further proves what we have long known – finding lung cancer at earlier stages when it is a treatable, even curable, disease, save lives,” said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, President and CEO of Lung Cancer Alliance. “These results align with the public health priorities of our organization to continue implementation of responsible screening in communities across the country through our Screening Centers of Excellence network and support of pending Congressional legislation to address the disparate impact of lung cancer on women.”