MSCT helps I-ELCAP spot latent lung cancers

Tiny solid lung cancers in asymptomatic patients are less likely than larger ones to have metastasized. These early tumors with no metastases have a good curability rate, according to research from the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program.

I-ELCAP screening data from nearly 29,000 patients yielded 464 cancers. Of these, 436 were non-small cell carcinomas, which are less aggressive than small cell cancer. Researchers found 85% of the NSC group had no metastases (Arch Intern Med 2006;166:321-325).

Size was directly related to metastatic rate: 91% of tumors 15 mm or smaller had no metastases, while 55% of tumors 36 mm or larger had no metastases. Solid lesions had a stronger correlation between size and metastases than part-solid lesions, while no association existed for nonsolid lesions.