Lung cancer is a deadly disease and in USA more than 1,50,000 persons dead each year with it, this number is very much higher than next three cancers i.e. breast, prostate and colon cancers; combined. As more and more people get scanned for lung cancer; and doctors think or worry that the test is going more harm than good, it’s only a fear not a truth.
A 2011 study shows that spiral CT scan could reduce lung cancer deaths by 20 percent, by knowing it at right time. Medicare announced in February-2015 that annual lung cancer screening for long-term smokers would affect. Patients under treatment between the 55-77, who have smoked for 30 years equivalent of a pack a day are now eligible for the annual screening and it’s also help them in their treatment.
A professor of medicine and health policy at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Dr. H. Gilbert Welch said, “”It’s the two-edged sword, The scans can see very early cancers,” He also added, “but [can also] find cancers that were never going to matter.” This is because some cancer grows slow and never become dangerous, he also said.
He also added that spiral CT scans also detect a lot of things that are not cancerous. Studies in 2011 for few months’ shows that participant that have multiple tests and these tests a shown abnormal growth in the lungs but it’s not turned out to cancer. These types of false result of tests lead to more follow-up testing like a biopsy, which inserts a needle into the lung and it is a risky procedures.
These types of further follow-up tests “Not surprisingly, sometimes that creates problems like causing someone’s lung to collapse.” Welch added more. Welch not said or claims that 2011 study, known as the National Lung Screening Trial, was wrong. Some independent experts reviewed past data and determine that spiral CT scans for Lung cancer test is better than harm.
But as my title says some doctors would hesitate to screen for lung cancer because of the most of the screening’s false results and this led to biopsy, which is very dangerous. I am not saying that spiral CT scans are bad but they are not the best test for lung cancer detection.