The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Dec 2024
Dismal Adherence to Lung Cancer Screening in a Diverse Urban Population.
High-risk populations for lung cancer, including Black males and lower socioeconomic status, experience worse outcomes when treated. The mortality benefit of lung cancer screening (LCS) cannot be realized without adherence to annual screening. Our study aims to understand annual adherence to LCS in a populations traditionally experiencing health disparities, thus identifying LCS' impact on lung cancer disparities. ⋯ In a safety-net institution with a diverse population traditionally experiencing disparities, adherence to annual LCS was low (8.13%) and declining each subsequent year, especially among male and Hispanic patients. Targeted education regarding importance of annual LCS is needed to realize the lifesaving potential of LCS.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Dec 2024
Time to Surgery in Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): Defining the Optimal Diagnosis-to-Resection Interval to Reduce Mortality.
Most patient variables that impact cancer case complexity and outcomes are not modifiable pre-operatively. However, the time from diagnosis to surgical resection is fluid. This retrospective study sought to identify the optimal time from NSCLC diagnosis to surgery to reduce mortality. ⋯ Although NSCLC aggressiveness varies, quality metrics for time to surgery are needed to optimize outcomes. This will be increasingly important as more early-stage, resectable NSCLC is identified. Our results suggest that performing surgery within 8 weeks of CT-based clinical diagnosis may be an important heath system target for early-stage NSCLC patients.