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Volume 1, Number 4 |
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| Early diagnosis of lung cancer using bronchoscopy |
Joanna L Brown MD MRCP Respiratory Department, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust; Jeremy M George MD FRCP Department of Thoracic Medicine, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust |
Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than any other malignancy in both men and women in the UK. Despite advances in diagnosis, staging and treatment, survival rates for patients remain extremely poor. Follow-up studies of patients diagnosed between 1993 and 1995 in England showed a median survival of only 22% at one year and 5.5% at five years.1 |
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| Clinical studies round-up |
Richard Stephens, Research Scientist responsible for the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit’s portfolio of lung cancer trials. |
In this issue we complete a four-part look at current and new National Cancer Research Institute randomised lung cancer trials. |
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| The earlier detection of lung cancer |
Michael D Peake, Editor |
One of the major handicaps that we face in the management of patients with lung cancer is that they do not usually present to medical services until very late in the natural history of their disease. The contrast between an ‘internalised’ tumour in lung cancer and breast cancer, where a pea-sized tumour can often be palpated by otherwise totally symptom-free women, is stark and requires more complex detection strategies. |
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| Specialist lung cancer nurses |
Jesme Baird MB CHB MBA Director of Patient Care, The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation |
When The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation (RCLCF) began its patient care work in 1998, it found around 20 UK nurses specialising in lung cancer. On discussion with patients, it was clear that those who had accessed this professional group benefited enormously. |
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| Overview of quality of life assessment in lung cancer patients |
Pauline Leonard RGN MBBS(Hons) MRCP Consultant Medical Oncologist, Southend Hospital Cancer Centre |
Quality of life (QoL) is increasingly recognised as an important factor when measuring the impact of treatments in cancer management. |
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| Patient experience of surgery for non-small cell lung cancer |
Nicola Bell BSc(Hons) Lung Cancer Nurse Specialist, Harrogate Health Care NHS Trust, North Yorkshire |
The best chance of cure for lung cancer lies with surgery but less than 10% of patients in the UK have lung resections – largely due to late presentation, an elderly patient population and co-morbidity.1 |
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