New digital program improves early lung cancer screening, study finds
A collaborative study by Wake Forest, UNC, and MD Anderson tested mPATH-Lung, which provides educational resources and appointment scheduling, resulting in higher screening adherence and potential for saving lives through early diagnosis.
In an attempt to save lives by boosting early lung cancer screening, a group of researchers tested a new program that improves awareness of screening. Their findings are summarized in a press release.
The program, mPATH-Lung, provides at-risk patients with educational material and aids them with scheduling their screening appointments. Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine with researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and MD Anderson Cancer Center tested mPATH-Lung by identifying more than 26,000 participants that had a history of smoking and setting them up with mPATH-Lung or upgraded regular care.
Both groups received a form of “direct outreach” that included educational tools. 7.5% more patients in the mPATH-Lung group followed up with a CT scan for lung cancer within 16 weeks compared to the regular group.
David P. Miller, M.D., professor of implementation science in the Division of Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and corresponding author of the study said in a press release, “Our study shows that reaching patients directly with digital tools can help overcome barriers to lung cancer screening and potentially save lives. By empowering individuals with information and easy access to screening, we can make a real difference in early detection of lung cancer.”
