In the past decade, the introduction of molecularly targeted agents and immune-checkpoint inhibitors has led to improved survival outcomes for patients with advanced-stage lung cancer; however, this ...disease remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Two large randomized controlled trials of low-dose CT (LDCT)-based lung cancer screening in high-risk populations - the US National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) and NELSON - have provided evidence of a statistically significant mortality reduction in patients. LDCT-based screening programmes for individuals at a high risk of lung cancer have already been implemented in the USA. Furthermore, implementation programmes are currently underway in the UK following the success of the UK Lung Cancer Screening (UKLS) trial, which included the Liverpool Health Lung Project, Manchester Lung Health Check, the Lung Screen Uptake Trial, the West London Lung Cancer Screening pilot and the Yorkshire Lung Screening trial. In this Review, we focus on the current evidence on LDCT-based lung cancer screening and discuss the clinical developments in high-risk populations worldwide; additionally, we address aspects such as cost-effectiveness. We present a framework to define the scope of future implementation research on lung cancer screening programmes referred to as Screening Planning and Implementation RAtionale for Lung cancer (SPIRAL).
Summary Background US guidelines now recommend lung cancer screening with low-dose CT for high-risk individuals. Reports of new nodules after baseline screening have been scarce and are inconsistent ...because of differences in definitions used. We aimed to identify the occurrence of new solid nodules and their probability of being lung cancer at incidence screening rounds in the Dutch-Belgian Randomized Lung Cancer Screening Trial (NELSON). Methods In the ongoing, multicentre, randomised controlled NELSON trial, between Dec 23, 2003, and July 6, 2006, 15 822 participants who had smoked at least 15 cigarettes a day for more than 25 years or ten cigarettes a day for more than 30 years and were current smokers, or had quit smoking less than 10 years ago, were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either screening with low-dose CT (n=7915) or no screening (n=7907). From Jan 28, 2004, to Dec 18, 2006, 7557 individuals underwent baseline screening with low-dose CT; 7295 participants underwent second and third screening rounds. We included all participants with solid non-calcified nodules, registered by the NELSON radiologists as new or smaller than 15 mm3 (study detection limit) at previous screens. Nodule volume was generated semiautomatically by software. We calculated the maximum volume doubling time for nodules with an estimated percentage volume change of 25% or more, representing the minimum growth rate for the time since the previous scan. Lung cancer diagnosis was based on histology, and benignity was based on histology or stable size for at least 2 years. The NELSON trial is registered at trialregister.nl, number ISRCTN63545820. Findings We analysed data for participants with at least one solid non-calcified nodule at the second or third screening round. In the two incidence screening rounds, the NELSON radiologists registered 1222 new solid nodules in 787 (11%) participants. A new solid nodule was lung cancer in 49 (6%) participants with new solid nodules and, in total, 50 lung cancers were found, representing 4% of all new solid nodules. 34 (68%) lung cancers were diagnosed at stage I. Nodule volume had a high discriminatory power (area under the receiver operating curve 0·795 95% CI 0·728–0·862; p<0·0001). Nodules smaller than 27 mm3 had a low probability of lung cancer (two 0·5% of 417 nodules; lung cancer probability 0·5% 95% CI 0·0–1·9), nodules with a volume of 27 mm3 up to 206 mm3 had an intermediate probability (17 3·1% of 542 nodules; lung cancer probability 3·1% 1·9–5·0), and nodules of 206 mm3 or greater had a high probability (29 16·9% of 172 nodules; lung cancer probability 16·9% 12·0–23·2). A volume cutoff value of 27 mm3 or greater had more than 95% sensitivity for lung cancer. Interpretation Our study shows that new solid nodules are detected at each screening round in 5–7% of individuals who undergo screening for lung cancer with low-dose CT. These new nodules have a high probability of malignancy even at a small size. These findings should be considered in future screening guidelines, and new solid nodules should be followed up more aggressively than nodules detected at baseline screening. Funding Zorgonderzoek Nederland Medische Wetenschappen and Koningin Wilhelmina Fonds Kankerbestrijding.
We studied 2240 indeterminate solid nodules (volume 50-500mm
) to determine the correlation of diameter and semi-automated volume measurements for pulmonary nodule size estimation. Intra-nodular ...diameter variation, defined as maximum minus minimum diameter through the nodule's center, varied by 2.8 mm (median, IQR:2.2-3.7 mm), so above the 1.5 mm cutoff for nodule growth used in Lung CT Screening Reporting and Data System (Lung-RADS). Using mean or maximum axial diameter to assess nodule volume led to a substantial mean overestimation of nodule volume of 47.2% and 85.1%, respectively, compared to semi-automated volume. Thus, size of indeterminate nodules is poorly represented by diameter.
Pre-results, ISRCTN63545820.
Coronary Heart Disease and TMAO Concentrations Amrein, Melissa L; Lopez-Ayala, Pedro; Walter, Joan ...
Journal of the American College of Cardiology,
06/2020, Letnik:
75, Številka:
24
Journal Article
Debate about the optimal lung cancer screening strategy is ongoing. In this study, previous screening history of the Dutch-Belgian Lung Cancer Screening trial (NELSON) is investigated on if it ...predicts the screening outcome (test result and lung cancer risk) of the final screening round.
15 792 participants were randomised (1:1) of which 7900 randomised into a screening group. CT screening took place at baseline, and after 1, 2 and 2.5 years. Initially, three screening outcomes were possible: negative, indeterminate or positive scan result. Probability for screening outcome in the fourth round was calculated for subgroups of participants.
Based on results of the first three rounds, three subgroups were identified: (1) those with exclusively negative results (n=3856; 73.0%); (2) those with ≥1 indeterminate result, but never a positive result (n=1342; 25.5%); and (3) with ≥1 positive result (n=81; 1.5%). Group 1 had the highest probability for having a negative scan result in round 4 (97.2% vs 94.8% and 90.1%, respectively, p<0.001), and the lowest risk for detecting lung cancer in round 4 (0.6% vs 1.6%, p=0.001). 'Smoked pack-years' and 'screening history' significantly predicted the fourth round test result. The third round results implied that the risk for detecting lung cancer (after an interval of 2.5 years) was 0.6% for those with negative results compared with 3.7% of those with indeterminate results.
Previous CT lung cancer screening results provides an opportunity for further risk stratifications of those who undergo lung cancer screening.
Results, ISRCTN63545820.
To assess the performance of semi-automated volumetry of solid pulmonary nodules on single-energy tin-filtered ultralow dose (ULD) chest CT scans at a radiation dose equivalent to chest X-ray ...relative to standard dose (SD) chest CT scans and assess the impact of kernel and iterative reconstruction selection.
Ninety-four consecutive patients from a prospective single-center study were included and underwent clinically indicated SD chest CT (1.9 ± 0.8 mSv) and additional ULD chest CT (0.13 ± 0.01 mSv) in the same session. All scans were reconstructed with a soft tissue (Br40) and lung (Bl64) kernel as well as with Filtered Back Projection (FBP) and Iterative Reconstruction (ADMIRE-3 and ADMIRE-5). One hundred and forty-eight solid pulmonary nodules were identified and analysed by semi-automated volumetry on all reconstructions. Nodule volumes were compared amongst all reconstructions thereby focusing on the agreement between SD and ULD scans.
Nodule volumes ranged from 58.5 (28.8–126) mm3 for ADMIRE-5 Br40 ULD reconstructions to 72.5 (39–134) mm3 for FBP Bl64 SD reconstructions with significant differences between reconstructions (p < 0.001). Interscan agreement of volumes between two given reconstructions ranged from ICC = 0.605 to ICC = 0.999. Between SD and ULD scans, agreement of nodule volumes was highest for FBP Br40 (ICC = 0.995), FBP Bl64 (ICC = 0.939) and ADMIRE-5 Bl64 (ICC = 0.994) reconstructions. ADMIRE-3 reconstructions exhibited reduced interscan agreement of nodule volumes (ICCs from 0.788 − 0.882).
The interscan agreement of node volumes between SD and ULD is high depending on the choice of kernel and reconstruction algorithm. However, caution should be exercised when comparing two image series that were not identically reconstructed.
Diagnosing stable ischemic heart disease (IHD) is challenging, especially in females. Currently, no blood test is available. Plasma extracellular vesicles (EV) are emerging as potential biomarker ...source. We therefore aimed to identify stress induced ischemia due to stable IHD with plasma extracellular vesicle protein levels in chest pain patients. We analyzed 450 patients suspected for stable IHD who were referred for
Rb PET/CT in the outpatient clinic. Blood samples were collected before PET/CT and plasma EVs were isolated in 3 plasma subfractions named: TEX, HDL, LDL. In total 6 proteins were quantified in each of these subfractions using immuno-bead assays. CD14 and CystatinC protein levels were independent significant predictors of stress-induced ischemia in the LDL and the HDL subfraction and SerpinC1 and SerpinG1 protein levels in the HDL fraction. Subgroup-analysis on sex revealed that these associations were completely attributed to the associations in women. None of the significant EV proteins remained significant in men. Plasma EV proteins levels are associated with the presence of stable IHD in females presenting with chest pain. This finding, if confirmed in larger cohort studies could be a crucial step in improving diagnostic assessment of women with suspected IHD.
•Around one fifth of participants presented with multiple new nodules.•An increased number of new nodules correlated with greater largest new nodule size.•When assessed with nodule size, new nodule ...count had a negative relationship with lung cancer.•The nodule count at baseline had no association with new nodule lung cancer.
New nodules are regularly found after the baseline round of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening. The relationship between a participant’s number of new nodules and lung cancer probability is unknown.
Participants of the ongoing Dutch-Belgian Randomized Lung Cancer Screening (NELSON) Trial with (sub)solid nodules detected after baseline and registered as new by the NELSON radiologists were included. The correlation between a participant’s new nodule count and the largest new nodule size was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation. To evaluate the new nodule count as predictor for new nodule lung cancer together with largest new nodule size, a multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed.
In total, 705 participants with 964 new nodules were included. In 48% (336/705) of participants no nodule had been found previously during baseline screening and in 22% (154/705) of participants >1 new nodule was detected (range 1–12 new nodules). Eventually, 9% (65/705) of the participants had lung cancer in a new nodule. In 100% (65/65) of participants with new nodule lung cancer, the lung cancer was the largest or only new nodule at initial detection. The new nodule lung cancer probability did not differ significantly between participants with 1 (10% 56/551, 95%CI 8–13%) or >1 new nodule (6% 9/154, 95%CI 3–11%, P = .116). An increased number of new nodules positively correlated with a participant’s largest nodule size (P < 0.001, Spearman’s rho 0.177). When adjusted for largest new nodule size, the new nodule count had a significant negative association with lung cancer (odds ratio 0.59, 0.37–0.95, P = .03).
A participant’s new nodule count alone only has limited association with lung cancer. However, a higher new nodule count correlates with an increased largest new nodule size, while the lung cancer probability remains equivalent, and may improve lung cancer risk prediction by size only.
This study aimed to prospectively advance a rule-out strategy for functionally significant coronary artery disease (CAD) by use of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) from bench to bedside, ...by application of a 3-step approach: validation in serum, correlation in plasma, and application on a clinical platform.
Patients without known CAD referred for rest/stress myocardial perfusion single-photon emission tomography/computer tomography (MPI-SPECT/CT) were assigned to 3 consecutive cohorts: validation, correlation, and application. Functionally relevant CAD was adjudicated with the use of expert interpretation of MPI-SPECT/CT and, if available, coronary angiography. In the validation cohort resting hs-cTnI was measured in serum before stress testing with the research Erenna system, in serum and plasma in the correlation cohort with the research Erenna system, and in plasma in the application cohort with the clinical Clarity system.
Overall, functionally relevant CAD was adjudicated in 21% (304/1478) of patients. In the validation cohort (n = 613), hs-cTnI concentrations were significantly higher in patients with functionally relevant CAD (median 2.8 ng/L vs 1.9 ng/L,
< 0.001) as compared to patients without functionally relevant CAD and allowed a rule out with 95% sensitivity in 14% of patients. In the correlation cohort (n = 606), hs-cTnI concentrations in serum and plasma strongly correlated (Spearman
= 0.921) and had similar diagnostic accuracy as quantified by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.686 vs 0.678,
= 0.425). In the application cohort (n = 555), very low hs-cTnI plasma concentrations (< 0.5 ng/L) ruled out functionally relevant CAD with 95% sensitivity in 10% of patients.
A single resting plasma hs-cTnI measurement can safely rule out functionally relevant CAD in around 10% of patients without known CAD.