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Cost Effective Lung Cancer Screening

Cost Effective Lung Cancer Screening..

A CT scan could help detect lung cancer in its early stages. A new study showed the screening is a cost-effective option for high-risk patients.

Diagnosing lung cancer before it’s in a more advanced stage is key to survival of the patient.

While a CT scan can detect early lung cancer, researchers wanted to determine if it is a cost-effective option. A new study conducted by researchers at a School of Medicine looked at the cost-effectiveness of a CT scan for high-risk patients.

The research was part of the Early Lung Cancer Action Project (ELCAP) that was conducted to look at the usefulness of an annual low-dose CT scan screening for lung cancer. The ELCAP found 80 percent of cancers detected were found in stage I and were small in size.

For the current study, researchers used these findings to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the CT scan. Information from the ELCAP was incorporated into a model to determine the amount of cost per year of life saved.

The study shows the cost-effectiveness ratio of a CT scan in high-risk patients was $2,500 per year of life saved. The analysis showed the screening would increase survival by 0.1 year at a cost of $230. Researchers also point out that the majority of cancers found were in early stages. An earlier stage cancer is often less costly to treat than a late stage cancer, so therefore researchers say a screening program could be compensated by these savings.

Researchers concluded that the implementation of a CT scan screening for the early detection of lung cancer would be economically efficient. The cost-effectiveness ratio of a baseline CT scan is within the range of clinical practice and health policy acceptability, and compares favorably to the cost-effectiveness ratios of screening programs for other malignancies.

You will find much more on this topic at WorldsLargestNetwork.com

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