Increased use of X-rays leads to earlier lung cancer diagnosis
- A new study led by the University of Sheffield and published in the British Journal of General Practice suggests a link between increased chest X-ray use and earlier lung cancer diagnosis and improved survival rates.
- Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the UK and globally, prompting research into improving detection methods.
- Researchers analyzed data from 2014 to 2018 of over 170,000 lung cancer patients in England combined with chest X-ray rates from 7,400 GP practices.
- Patients at practices with higher chest X-ray usage were more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage, less likely to be diagnosed at later stages , and demonstrated better one-year survival rates after diagnosis, indicating a "significant" link between X-ray referrals and improved outcomes.
- The study, co-authored by Professor Willie Hamilton from the University of Exeter and led by Dr. Stephen Bradley from the University of Sheffield , highlights the potential of optimizing simpler, cheaper, and more accessible tools like chest X-rays for earlier lung cancer detection, alongside advanced technologies like CT scanners, emphasizing the importance of improving GP access to investigations and encouraging chest X-ray use for symptomatic patients, though further research is needed.
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17 Articles
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