Lung Cancer - Leading Cause of Death in Canada

Lung cancer is Canada's leading cause of death. The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership has conducted previous studies which have found it difficult to obtain a timely diagnosis. This was illustrated by a variation of 28-87 days between referral and treatment initiation. For optimal care pathways, it is essential to have access to prompt assessments and triage systems that are organized and that communicate with HCPs, patients, and other healthcare professionals.

Risk Factors

Many factors can increase your risk of lung cancer. Certain factors, such as smoking, can be changed. Certain factors, like family history and age, cannot be changed. Risk factors can help doctors predict whether you'll be prone to developing a certain disease. A risk factor doesn't guarantee that you will develop the disease. There are also many people who are diagnosed with cancer but without known risk factors.

Lung cancer is the most prevalent kind of cancer in Canada, and it's also the leading cause of deaths from cancer. The majority of people diagnosed with non-small cell lung canadian pacific colon cancer (NSCLC) have advanced stage disease at diagnosis. The goal of canadian pacific black lung disease is to improve the outcomes of patients by establishing a more accurate, evidence-based staging system for NSCLC. The system will allow doctors to identify patients at an early stage of disease that are more likely to respond to treatment, and those who might not.

Most lung cancer cases are discovered in people 60 years and older. Smoking, exposure to asbestos, and family history are all factors that increase the chance of being diagnosed with lung cancer. People who are at a high risk of developing lung cancer should undergo annual low-dose CT scanning to detect early-stage disease. Unfortunately, the screening isn't currently available in all provinces.

Diagnosis

Lung cancer is the main cause of death due to cancer in Canada. It is one of the most curable tumors if found early. Based on guidelines from the Nordic countries and Cancer Care Ontario, diagnostic work-up should be completed within 28 days of referral and Cancer Settlement treatment must begin in 65% of cases [25]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, lung Cancer settlement diagnosis is more challenging due to: the reallocation of resources and staff to manage the increase in COVID-19 cases, restrictions on the testing procedures that generate aerosols and confusion between symptoms of lung cancer and the pandemic.

Treatment

Lung cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths in Canada. The key is timely diagnosis and access to curative treatment options. It is essential to assess and improve the care pathway in order to give patients the best chance of beating cancer [1,21 2. Regularly scheduled assessments, organized triage, referral, and strong communication between HCPs and other healthcare professionals are crucial in the pre-treatment phase.

In addition, a well-functioning multidisciplinary team is essential for the successful treatment of advanced lung cancer. It is crucial to include a physician who is proficient in EBUS and CT bronchoscopy, aswell as a radiation specialist with expertise in delivering radiotherapy in the chest. To facilitate early diagnosis and prevention of lung cancer, a regional screening program should also be recommended.

A recent benchmarking study across all jurisdictions found that many jurisdictions struggled to meet guidelines that recommend that the diagnostic workups be completed within 28 days after the referral, and treatment should begin within 42 days following the cCRT. This delay is usually due to the lack of resources, such as PET CT equipment, triage protocols for suspected patients and lengthy wait times for imaging appointments.

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