Challenges
NOW THAT WE KNOW CT SCANNING FOR LUNG CANCER CAN SAVE LIVES WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT SCANS ARE DONE PROPERLY IN ACCREDITED CENTERS AND THAT SCANS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO NEED THEM NOT JUST TO THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD THEM.
WE CAN ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS THROUGH:
- Congressional enactment of legislation on quality standards for scanning sites, equipment, personnel, reading of scans by a multi-disciplinary team of doctors and pooling of data to permit the establishment of the most effective and economical national lung cancer screening program
- Insurance coverage for screening through private insurers, Medicare, TRICARE, the VA and Medicaid
- Development of computer assisted diagnosis (CAD) software programs to make CT screening for lung cancer so efficient and cost-effective that scans can be given to all at risk
- Assistance of the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) in creating uniform measuring tools to facilitate CAD software development
- Encouragement of CT screening as a combined imaging platform for heart disease and COPD/emphysema as well as lung cancer to maximize public health benefit while achieving cost efficiencies
LCA IS ALSO COMMITTED TO AND WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR:
- more federal and state funding for lung cancer research in all areas:
- new diagnostic methods such as blood and sputum analysis;
- less toxic and more effective treatments;
- vaccines
- FDA incentive programs to encourage the development of drugs for pre-cancerous lung conditions