2022 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Posters)-P1.12-01. Lung Cancer Screening in the COVID-19 Era: Understanding Program-Level Impact

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This document discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lung cancer screening programs in the United States. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the country. Despite the proven effectiveness of low dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening in reducing lung cancer mortality, its utilization remains low. The goal of this study was to understand the program-level barriers to lung cancer screening during the COVID-19 era and inform future resource allocation and optimization.<br /><br />The study was conducted through a partnership with the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, which conducted an annual survey of US screening programs. The survey asked about various aspects of the screening program, including program structure, screening rates, and implementation barriers. Additional questions related to delivering screening during the COVID-19 pandemic were also included.<br /><br />The survey received responses from 99 screening centers, the majority of which were community-based. The findings revealed that critical components of lung cancer screening programs were most vulnerable to compromise during the pandemic. These components included recruitment, in-person consultation, patient education, access to radiology, and smoking cessation. The study highlighted the importance of telemedicine in the delivery of lung cancer screening during the COVID-19 era.<br /><br />The authors emphasized the importance of this survey effort in understanding the challenges faced by real-world screening programs and guiding targeted solutions for the future. The study was partially supported by the National Cancer Institute and its findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the delivery of lung cancer screening in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.<br /><br />Overall, the document provides a summary of a study that examined the impact of COVID-19 on lung cancer screening programs in the United States. It discusses the most affected components of these programs and emphasizes the importance of telemedicine in delivering screening during the pandemic.

Asset Subtitle

Andrew Ciupek, United States

Meta Tag

Speaker Andrew Ciupek, United States

Topic Management of Lung Cancer in the Era of COVID-20

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic

lung cancer screening programs

United States

low dose computed tomography

LDCT screening

program-level barriers

resource allocation

optimization

GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer

telemedicine