All.Can Belgium shared on LinkedIn:
“World Lung Cancer Day: Why early detection matters
Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in both Belgian men and women, with more than 9,400 new diagnoses each year.
It also remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in Belgium.
One of the main reasons is that lung cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, when curative treatment is no longer possible.
This is why research into early detection is so important.
In our latest interview, Prof. Dr. Annemiek Snoeckx, discusses the first results of the ZORALCS pilot study, which is evaluating how targeted lung cancer screening could be organised in practice in Flanders.
The first findings are encouraging:
- Participation was higher than expected.
- The results closely match those of other recent European screening studies.
- The study shows that organised screening is feasible from both a technical and organisational perspective.
But the interview also highlights another challenge that deserves more attention: the stigma surrounding lung cancer.
As Prof. Snoeckx explains, many people with lung cancer not only face the burden of their diagnosis, but also feelings of shame and judgement. Smoking is an addiction, yet patients are too often blamed for their illness. Reducing stigma is an important part of improving care and encouraging people at risk to seek help.
On this World Lung Cancer Day, we invite you to explore the first lessons from the ZORALCS study and the insights shared by Prof. Dr. Annemiek Snoeckx.
Read the full interview Lung cancer screening works – and Flanders is no exception.”
More about Lung Cancer on OncoDaily.