A national support and advocacy group for those at risk for or living with lung cancer, Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), recently issued its annual National Report Card on Lung Cancer. This report is a general assessment of the nation’s response to the ongoing high mortality rate of lung cancer.
“What a difference a year makes,” said Laurie Fenton-Ambrose, LCA President and CEO, “as the 2011 National Report Card grades show areas of significant improvement – a hopeful sign for our community that we are finally moving in a more positive direction to reduce lung cancer’s devastating impact. While we still have failing grades in core areas, there is no denying that life-saving progress is being made in others.”
The 2011 National Report Card mentioned improvements in diagnosis and treatment. These categories include the recent drug therapy approval for those patients with the ALK marker and the continued growth of lung cancer clinical trials. The 2011 National Report Card also included grade advancement in Early Detection.
Fenton-Ambrose continued, “By far the most significant and exciting development has been the scientific validation of the use of low-dose CT scans to screen those at high risk and significantly reduce lung cancer’s mortality. This is a game changer – a life-saving breakthrough – which LCA will work to see brought safely, equitably and efficiently into our public health system.”
In addition, improvements were acknowledged regarding the federal response to lung cancer policy.
Source: Lung Cancer Alliance.