How lung cancer screening will make a difference
Discover how early detection and intelligent solutions can fundamentally improve lung cancer care.
Challenges in lung cancer
Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers and one of the worst five year survival rates of all cancers at 17% for men and 22% for women.[1] It is the deadliest cancer for men worldwide, the second deadliest for women. [2] What makes lung cancer so deadly is that the symptoms are non-specific, and patients often only come to the clinic when tumors have exceeded a critical size or when cancer cells have attacked the lymph nodes or have metastasized.
Early detection in lung cancer
Mobile lung cancer checks in car parks
Interview: Lung cancer does not have to be a death sentence
European lung cancer initiative
The only chance of a cure is to diagnose lung cancer as early as possible. Early detection and the introduction of screening programs have the potential to fundamentally improve lung cancer healthcare. Although treatment for advanced tumor stages, such as immunotherapy, works well, it is also very expensive and a significant burden for the healthcare system. The cost per life saved by a screening program is therefore much lower.
The life-saving potential of lung cancer screening
Targeted screening of high-risk groups with low-dose computed tomography (CT) is a way to significantly decrease lung cancer mortality.
Patient organizations back screening
We ask ourselves what to say to patients who stopped smoking 20 years ago and who develop lung cancer. Should we tell them: If you had continued smoking, you would have been screened?
Barbara Baysal from the German Self-Help Lung Cancer Association (Bundesverband Selbsthilfe Lungenkrebs e.V.)
Targeted screening
Experts back screening
We now have eight large, randomized studies and masses of real-world data, mainly from the USA. We have a clear recommendation from the professional societies. We will not get any more evidence.
Prof. Dr. Jens Vogel-Claussen, Deputy Director, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hannover Medical School and head of the HANSE study
Therapy
Treatment of lung cancer
Taiwan patient survived lung cancer
A hybrid approach to minimally invasive surgery
Redefining computed tomography
Depending on the stage and cancer type, the treatment could be surgery, chemo, radiation or immunotherapy. With the introduction of lung cancer screening, more cases are expected to be discovered in an earlier stage. Therefore, the current therapy mix of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy will probably change to less invasive methods where imaging might also play a bigger role. Key-hole surgery, stereotactic radiation therapy and local ablation techniques and combinations may become more important.
A profound understanding of the facetted characteristics and behavior of a tumor demands deep and integrated knowledge among clinical experts collaborating in interdisciplinary teams.
While it is already a challenge to optimize the treatment mix and sequence for each patient, by strategically combining advanced imaging, IT and laboratory applications, lung cancer management can be improved.
Finding cancer in an early stage saves lives
Hybrid approach in treatment of lung cancer
Lung imaging with photon-counting CT
Outcome management platform for patients and caretakers
Artificial intelligence can support radiologists today: A second pair of eyes
AI plays a critical role as a second opinion in diagnostic assessment, especially since the number of examinations continues to increase. AI can help in obtaining more precise and faster results. The Siemens Healthineers AI software "AI-Rad Companion Chest CT" detects and highlights lung nodules.
After segmentation of the lung nodules, the volume, maximum 2D diameter and maximum 3D diameter are automatically calculated.
Outlook on lung cancer care
The future of cancer care
Video: Vision for cancer care
Podcast: Digital twin in cancer care
Learn how the digital twin of the patient could lead to early detection of cancer in the future using AI technology and medical expertise. Health data integration could enable personalized care even before hospitalization to achieve the best possible patient-reported outcomes.
Learn more
[1] https://www.krebsdaten.de/Krebs/EN/Content/Cancer_sites/Lung_cancer/lung_cancer_node.html (Accessed Nov 2022)
[2] ESIC
The statements by Siemens Healthineers customers/institutions described herein are based on results that were achieved in the customer’s or institutions' unique setting. Since there is no “typical” hospital and many variables exist (e.g., hospital size, case mix, level of IT adoption) there can be no guarantee that other customers/institutions will achieve the same results.
Not all products/features are commercially available in all countries. Their future availability cannot be ensured.
Several devices of AI-Rad Companion are planned and under development, not commercially available in all countries, and their future availability cannot be ensured. Please contact your local Siemens Healthineers organization for further details.
The Digital Twin video describes future ideas and concepts. It is not intended to describe specific performance and/or safety characteristics of currently planned or future products. Future realization and availability cannot be guaranteed. Names of persons are fictious; any similarities are purely coincidental.
Digital Twin is currently under development; it is not for sale in the U.S.A. Its future availability cannot be guaranteed.