News. According to a study conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, one of the leading medical institutions in the U.S., screening for the detection of lung cancer seems to be able to put out the last cigarette with some heavy smokers. The research is being published on the journal Cancer.
Deepening. Lung cancer in industrialized countries is the third leading cause of death in men and fifth in the women. Every year in Italy fall ill with lung cancer over 28 thousand people and deaths represent 1 / 5 of all deaths from cancer. The number of new cases of lung cancer in the world is constantly growing. The incidence of lung cancer increases with age both in industrialized countries than in developing. The higher peak between 55 and 65 years of age, but more frequent are the cases that arise from 35 years upwards. Since 1987, this tumor in the world has become the leading cause of death also in women, given their increasing habit of smoking. Lung cancer kills men 50-80 years per 100,000 population in almost all industrialized countries. The increase in the average effects of smoking and industrialization in the coming years ago suggest a further increase in the number of lung cancers diagnosed.
Study. Participated in the study 901 smokers and 574 former smokers, all aged over 50 years and were considered at high risk of developing cancer of the lung. Participants underwent a special X-ray technique (which provides much more detailed images of conventional X-ray techniques). Was also evaluated lung function and damage caused by smoking.
Results. One year after performing a thorough screening for the detection of a possible lung cancer 14 percent of participants stopped smoking. Patients with low lung function showed a greater propensity to stop after the screening. Even those who have learned from test results that it has no sign of cancer has stopped anyway.
Conclusions. These data are significant and deserve comment. Screening is not in itself the solution of problems of a smoker, the more a direct experience of the health risks that this defect can bring. The fact of talking with your doctor, ask questions and then take total consciousness of the consequences of cigarette smoking clearly has an effect not negligible. The American Cancer Society does not recommend screening continues, even for those most at risk. “There are no studies showing that screening decreases the occurrence of lung cancer,” said James Jett, a specialist in pulmonary medicine at the Mayo Clinic and one of the authors of the study. However, the fact that the doctor’s advice during the screening actually serves to encourage some smokers to quit smoking is a fact which underlines once more the importance of clear communication between doctor and patient and thorough.
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