Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Lung cancer remains a significant global health concern, affecting millions of people each year. The disease is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lung tissue, leading to the formation of tumors that can spread to other parts of the body.
A new study has uncovered a strong correlation between how often GPs refer patients for chest x-rays and the chances of detecting lung cancer earlier, leading to higher survival rates.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield examined data from over 170,000 lung cancer patients in England between 2014 and 2018, alongside chest x-ray referral patterns from 7,400 GP practices.
Published in the British Journal of General Practice, the study found that patients from GP practices with the highest number of chest x-ray referrals were significantly more likely to receive a lung cancer diagnosis at an earlier, more manageable stage. These practices also reported fewer cases being diagnosed at the advanced, harder-to-treat stages—three and four.
Furthermore, patients from high-referral practices demonstrated improved survival rates at both one- and five-years post-diagnosis compared to those from practices with lower x-ray usage.
Dr. Stephen Bradley, the study’s lead author and a researcher at the University of Sheffield, School of Medicine and Population Health, emphasized the study’s importance. He indicated that lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the UK and worldwide and this research marks a crucial step in enhancing early detection methods and improving patient outcomes.
“Our research strongly suggests that increasing the use of chest x-rays for patients with relevant symptoms can lead to earlier diagnosis and, crucially, better chances of survival.”
Dr. Bradley, who led the study while at the University of Leeds, pointed out that although advanced technologies such as CT scanners are crucial, their research underscores the potential of optimizing the use of a simpler and more affordable tool like x-rays, which are also more accessible to patients.
“By encouraging greater use of chest x-rays, we can potentially diagnose lung cancer earlier, when treatment is more likely to be successful.”
Researchers of the study indicated that until now, there has been uncertainty about whether increasing the number of chest x-rays ordered by GPs would be beneficial. The use of chest x-rays varies significantly across different GP practices, possibly because some doctors were not fully convinced that the scans would help detect lung cancer in patients with common symptoms.
Co-author of the study, Willie Hamilton CBE, Professor of Primary Care Diagnostics at the University of Exeter, highlighted the study’s importance stating that this research is significant as there are very few cancer tests available in general practice that are both reliable, affordable, and widely accepted by patients. He further indicated that we now have clear evidence that increasing chest x-ray referrals helps detect more cancers and catches them at an earlier stage, which is critical for improving patient survival rates.
This groundbreaking study is the first to connect chest x-ray rates with the national cancer registry, marking a significant milestone in cancer research. The research was supported by Cancer Research UK.
Lyndsy Ambler, Senior Strategic Evidence Manager at Cancer Research UK, emphasized the significance of the study, pointed out that the research demonstrates how diagnostic tests in primary care can lead to earlier cancer detection, giving patients the best possible chance of a positive outcome.”
She added, that it is crucial to encourage GPs to use chest x-rays for individuals showing potential symptoms of lung cancer and to enhance their access to diagnostic tools.
Ambler also stressed the need for further research, pointing out that understanding how other primary care investigations impact patient outcomes is essential in strengthening efforts to diagnose cancer at an earlier stage.
