Dr. Henricus de Koning on Screening in NSCLC

Henricus de Koning, MD, Professor of Public Health & Screening Evaluation in the Department of Public Health of the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, discusses screening in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

There was a large randomized controlled trial in the United States that demonstrated that screening resulted in positive outcomes for NSCLC. However, after receiving screening 24% of patients in the trial were referred for further investigation. This referral rate is too high for the European healthcare system, said de Koning.

There are several European trials investigating if screening with less follow-up is effective. These trials look at the volume of the nodules in NSCLC. Patients with intermediate nodules are told to return in 3 months for an additional CT scan. This is a novel approach, that should be helpful in reducing the amount of referrals, said de Koning.