2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Posters)-EP04.04. The Frequency of Incidental Lung Cancer Detected in Thorax CT During the COVID-19 Pandemic Process in Turkey

EP04.04. The Frequency of Incidental Lung Cancer Detected in Thorax CT During the COVID-19 Pandemic Process in Turkey - PDF(Abstract)

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This study aimed to investigate the frequency of incidentally detected pulmonary nodules and lung cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. The researchers analyzed thoracic CT scans taken between March 11, 2020, and March 31, 2022, in patients suspected of having COVID-19. A total of 2381 patients were included in the study, with the majority being male. While malignancy was detected in 2.9% of the patients, pulmonary nodules were detected in 8.3% of the patients. The risk of pulmonary nodules and lung cancer increased with age, and smoking history, tumor size over 2 cm, lymph node positivity, and age over 50 were identified as statistically significant variables in the multivariate analysis of lung cancer risk. <br /><br />The study highlights the importance of early detection and treatment of lung cancer for prolonging patients' lives. Lung cancer screening is recommended for individuals aged 55-80 who are current or former smokers with a smoking history of more than 30 pack-years. However, routine screening is not yet recommended in Turkey, and there is limited data on lung cancer screening in the country. During the COVID-19 pandemic, thoracic CT scans were performed in large case groups without a risk assessment for lung cancer due to the diagnostic use of CT for COVID-19. <br /><br />The findings of this study provide insight into the frequency of incidentally detected pulmonary nodules and lung cancer in Turkey. The risk of both increases with age, smoking history, tumor size, and lymph node positivity. The study suggests the need for lung cancer risk prediction models and applications for screening in Turkey. Early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer are crucial for improving patient outcomes, and implementing lung cancer screening programs can aid in the early detection of the disease.

Asset Subtitle

Berna Komurcuoglu

Meta Tag

Speaker Berna Komurcuoglu

Topic Screening & Early Detection: Nodule Management

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic

Turkey

pulmonary nodules

lung cancer

thoracic CT scans

malignancy

age

smoking history

tumor size

lymph node positivity