Empowering Lives: The Battle Against Lung Cancer Continues

Lung cancer remains a significant global health challenge, claiming more lives each year than colon, prostate, and breast cancers combined.¹ Despite advancements in medical technology, increased smoking cessation efforts, and enhanced lung cancer screening initiatives, the 5-year survival rate remains dishearteningly low at a mere 20%. Only 16% of lung cancers are detected at Stage 1 where patients have more than a 50% chance of living five or more years and more than half of people diagnosed with lung cancer do not survive longer than one year.^2,3,4

An Ongoing Battle

Efforts to detect lung cancer in its early stages are paramount to improving survival rates. This is because early diagnosis significantly enhances the likelihood of successful treatment and offers a range of treatment options. Sadly, smoking continues to be the leading risk factor for lung cancer, accounting for a staggering 80% of all lung cancer-related deaths. While other risk factors like secondhand smoke, exposure to toxins, family history, and genetic predispositions contribute to the remaining 20%, the significance of smoking cannot be overstated.⁵

New Horizons in Early Detection

To increase early detection rates and consequently improve survival odds, recent years have seen significant strides in lung cancer screening recommendations. In 2021, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) expanded its guidelines regarding low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for early lung cancer detection. The updated recommendations call for annual LDCT screenings for all adults aged 50-80 with a 20-pack-year smoking history, whether they currently smoke or have quit within the last 15 years.⁶ Even with these updated recommendations, education, and compliance, there still remain hurdles. Compared to breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer, where the percentage of people recommended to receive screening actually undergoing screening is around 70%, the percentage of individuals in the U.S. who are identified as high-risk for lung cancer that continue on to receive lung cancer screening is less than 5%.⁷

Empowering the Fight

At Body Vision Medical, our mission is to save lives through the democratization of innovative medical technology. We envision a world where innovative medical care is accessible to all and abide by the quintuple aim of healthcare where it isn’t enough to develop medical technology that improves patient outcomes; the technology also has to be as broadly accessible and cost-effective so as to positively impact as many patients as possible. It is with this mindset that Body Vision developed the LungVision™ AI-powered image guidance system which supports clinicians as they strive to identify lung cancer at an earlier stage, shorten the time from diagnosis to treatment, and empower patients to return to their lives and thrive.

David Webster, CEO of Body Vision, knows firsthand the impact of early detection and advanced medical care in the battle against lung cancer. Having lost his father to lung cancer, he understands the immense value of timely diagnosis and access to top-notch medical treatments. David's father's early diagnosis and subsequent access to world-class lung care treatments in Boston granted their family an additional five precious years together.

Through advancements in screening, early detection, and innovative medical technologies, we are committed to empowering individuals and communities to take proactive steps toward a healthier, cancer-free tomorrow.

Sources

^{1. Home. Lung Cancer Research Foundation. (2022, October 27). Retrieved October 28, 2022, from https://www.lungcancerresearchfoundation.org/} 

^{2. Lung deaths - lungcancerinitiative.org. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2022, from https://lungcancerinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/LCI-fact-sheet-2021.pdf} 

^{3.  Lung Cancer Fact Sheet. American Lung Association. https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/resource-library/lung-cancer-fact-sheet;  Yetman D.} 

^{4.  Understanding Lung Cancer Survival Rates by Type, Stage, Age, and More. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/lung-cancer-stages-survival-rates.  ²U.S. National Institute Of Health, National Cancer Institute. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975–2015.}

^{5.  Lung cancer facts. Lung Cancer Research Foundation. (2021, October 28). Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://www.lungcancerresearchfoundation.org/lung-cancer-facts/.}

^{6. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Screening for lung cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2014 Mar 4;160(5):330-8. Cancer Facts and Figures 2021. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.}

^{7. US NIH National Cancer Institute Cancer Trends Progress Report. Retrieved December 28, 2022, from https://progressreport.cancer.gov/detection}