2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) - Posters-P2.04B.07 Impact of Primary Care Initiated Lung Cancer Screening Program: The VANCHCS Experience

Pdf Summary

The study titled "Impact of Primary Care Initiated Lung Cancer Screening Program: The VANCHCS Experience" investigates the effects of a lung cancer screening (LCS) program at the VA Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS) from 2010 to 2022. The program was initiated in 2017 to address low national and state lung cancer screening rates, with only 18.1% undergoing screening nationwide and 16.8% in California in 2022. VANCHCS, serving over 385,000 Veterans, introduced a primary care-based LCS program, using low dose CT scans to improve early-stage lung cancer diagnosis.<br /><br />The study found a significant shift in lung cancer diagnoses toward earlier stages following the implementation of the screening program. Prior to the initiative, a higher percentage of patients were diagnosed at stage IV compared to the University of California, Davis (UCD). However, post-implementation data showed an increase in stage I diagnoses at the VA surpassing those at UCD.<br /><br />The analysis revealed racial disparities in screening rates, with Black and Hispanic Veterans having significantly lower rates of undergoing screenings, suggesting the need for further studies to address these disparities and evaluate the program's impact on cancer-specific mortality.<br /><br />Results from the study underscore the successful integration of LCS in primary care settings and its influence on early lung cancer diagnosis, highlighting the potential for curative treatments when cancers are detected at stage I. Despite the positive outcomes, efforts are necessary to improve equitable access to screenings across different racial groups to maximize the public health benefits of the LCS program at VANCHCS.

Asset Subtitle

Guneet Kaleka

Meta Tag

Speaker Guneet Kaleka

Topic Screening & Early Detection

Keywords

lung cancer screening

VANCHCS

primary care

early-stage diagnosis

racial disparities

low dose CT scans

Veterans

cancer-specific mortality

equitable access

public health benefits