Lung Cancer Screening: National

Background

• Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers and is the leading cause of cancer death in Canada. (2020 Canadian Cancer Statistics) 
• Survival from lung cancer is poor. Three-year net survival for lung cancer decreased from 71% among those diagnosed at stage 1 to 5% among those diagnosed at stage 4. Approximately half of all lung cancer cases in Canada are stage 4 at diagnosis. (2020 Canadian Cancer Statistics) 
• Two clinical trials, the Dutch-Belgian screening trial (NELSON) and the United States National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), have demonstrated the value of lung cancer screening in reducing mortality rates in high-risk populations. 
• The lung cancer community across Canada is therefore united in the belief that screening programs should be implemented nationwide. 
• Lung Cancer Screening programs have been announced across Canada. The Ontario program launched in April 2021 and the program in Quebec launched in June 2021. A program in BC was announced in 2020 and will launch in the near future. Other provinces across Canada are working on developing screening programs also. 
• In this podcast series, we discuss the importance of lung cancer screening and aim to raise awareness of these programs in Canada in order to improve patient care. 

Our Guests
Dr. Paul Wheatley-Price: Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Ottawa and Medical Oncologist at The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, specializing in the treatment of thoracic malignancies and carcinoma of unknown primary. Since 2016, Dr. Wheatley-Price has previously served as President of Lung Cancer Canada. 

Dr. Jeffery Habert: General practitioner in Thornhill, ON and Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Resources
ONTARIO

• Lakeridge Health in Oshawa: https://www.lakeridgehealth.on.ca/en/central-east-regional-cancer-program/lung-cancer-screening-pilot.asp
• The Ottawa Hospital: https://www.ottawahospital.on.ca/en/clinical-services/deptpgrmcs/programs/cancer-program/what-we-offer-our-programs-and-services/lung-screening/
• Health Sciences North in Sudbury: https://www.hsnsudbury.ca/portalen/rcp/hrlcsp
• Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto: https://www.trcp.ca/en/screening/screening-programs/Pages/lung.aspx

BRITISH COLUMBIA

• The BC Lung Screen Trial: http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/our-research/participate/lung-health

CPAC Report: https://s22457.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/lung-cancer-screening-environmental-scan-2019-2020-Jan132021-EN.pdf

TO FIND A SCREENING PROGRAM NEAR YOU: https://right2survive.ca/resource-centre/screening/

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