What's on the respiratory medicine agenda for 2023?
Lung health is again set to be a major public policy battleground in 2023, with vaping, silica dust and air pollution all on the reform agenda this year. TSANZ president Professor John Upham says all three issues are in the society’s sights for the next 12 months, given the harm of...
Research backs conservative approach for lung nodule referral
Clinicians have pinpointed the optimal threshold at which a small growing lung nodule should be referred for further investigation. In a bid to find a balance between reducing unnecessary referrals while facilitating early cancer diagnoses, researchers analysed outcomes for SUMMIT study participants with nodules of ≥80 mm3 and <300 mm3 on...
Lung screening a ‘teachable moment’ for smoking cessation
The process of undergoing lung cancer screening can itself act as a catalyst for smoking cessation in heavy smokers, novel Australian data suggests. The finding follows a five-year screening trial in which a third of baseline current smokers had quit by three years with “minimal intervention” other than annual screening, the...
What’s on the respiratory medicine agenda for 2023?
Lung health is again set to be a major public policy battleground in 2023, with vaping, silica dust and air pollution all on the reform agenda this year. TSANZ president Professor John Upham says all three issues are in the society’s...
Lung health is again set to be a major public policy battleground in 2023, with vaping, silica dust and air...
Research backs conservative approach for lung nodule referral
Clinicians have pinpointed the optimal threshold at which a small growing lung nodule should be referred for further investigation. In a bid to find a balance between reducing unnecessary referrals while facilitating early cancer diagnoses, researchers analysed outcomes for...
Clinicians have pinpointed the optimal threshold at which a small growing lung nodule should be referred for further investigation. ...
Lung screening a ‘teachable moment’ for smoking cessation
The process of undergoing lung cancer screening can itself act as a catalyst for smoking cessation in heavy smokers, novel Australian data suggests. The finding follows a five-year screening trial in which a third of baseline current smokers had quit by...
The process of undergoing lung cancer screening can itself act as a catalyst for smoking cessation in heavy smokers, novel...
Low-dose CT screening dramatically improves lung cancer survival
Diagnosing early-stage lung cancer with low-dose CT screening drastically improves the long-term survival rate of cancer patients, a major international study has shown. Lung cancer survival rates were 80% at 20 years among 1285 participants in the International Early Lung Cancer...
Diagnosing early-stage lung cancer with low-dose CT screening drastically improves the long-term survival rate of cancer patients, a major international...
Lung screening follow up is low in real world setting
Adherence to recommended follow up after a positive lung cancer screening examination is lower in real world settings than in the key clinical trials that led to the approval of national screening programs. Less than half the patients (43%) invited for...
Adherence to recommended follow up after a positive lung cancer screening examination is lower in real world settings than in...
Genomic testing in lung cancer moves beyond EGFR
Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) available through the ongoing ASPiRATION trial is already benefiting patients with lung adenocarcinoma, the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) 2022 ASM in Brisbane was told. Professor Ben Solomon shared a case study...
Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) available through the ongoing ASPiRATION trial is already benefiting patients with lung adenocarcinoma, the...
COSA 2022 meeting to highlight lung screening and equitable care
Lung cancer, its genomics, prevention, screening, treatment and rehab, will feature prominently on the program at the 2022 COSA ASM being held in Brisbane next week. A session on lung cancer screening (Thurs,...
Lung cancer, its genomics, prevention, screening, treatment and rehab, will feature prominently...
Australasian lung cancer clinical care registry to benchmark best practice
A Trans-Tasman lung cancer clinical quality registry will help identify practice variation and improve the safety, quality and effectiveness of lung cancer care across Australia and New Zealand, respiratory medicine specialists say. The proposed registry will build on the experience of...
A Trans-Tasman lung cancer clinical quality registry will help identify practice variation and improve the safety, quality and effectiveness of...
National lung cancer screening program wins MSAC approval
A national lung cancer screening program is a step closer to becoming a reality after receiving the backing of the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC). The recommendation has been welcomed by federal Minister for Health Mark Butler, who promised to consider...
A national lung cancer screening program is a step closer to becoming a reality after receiving the backing of the...
Historic moment for UK national lung cancer screening program
A national lung cancer screening program has won the backing of the UK’s National Screening Committee, marking a historic moment in the fight against the disease. The Committee has recommended the introduction of targeted screening using...
A national lung cancer screening program has won the backing of the UK’s National Screening Committee, marking a...
Immunotherapy a good option for patients with advanced NSCLC
Anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy may be the best choice as front-line therapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are not fit to receive platinum-based chemotherapy, a UK study has shown. Professor Siow Ming Lee, Consultant Medical Oncologist at University College...
Anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy may be the best choice as front-line therapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are...
Six urgent lung cancer reforms needed to reverse years of stagnation
Six key reforms are needed to address systemic gaps in lung cancer diagnosis and treatment in Australia, according to a new report from the Lung Foundation. As well as implementing the recommended national lung cancer screening program, there is also...
Six key reforms are needed to address systemic gaps in lung cancer diagnosis and treatment in Australia, according to a...
Neoadjuvant debate to feature at TOGA’s first in-person ASM
Neoadjuvant immune therapy and the fallout from the disappointing decision on lung cancer screening are set to lead the agenda at the Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia’s (TOGA) annual scientific meeting this week. The meeting to be held in Sydney will...
Neoadjuvant immune therapy and the fallout from the disappointing decision on lung cancer screening are set to lead the agenda...
Lung cancer screening push suffers major setback
The push for a national lung cancer screening program has suffered a setback, with the Medical Services Advisory Committee declaring it cannot recommend the scheme without better evidence on costs. In findings handed down last week, MSAC said it accepted with...
The push for a national lung cancer screening program has suffered a setback, with the Medical Services Advisory Committee declaring...
Holy Grail: Restoring anti-tumour immunity in NSCLC
First up: can you describe the aim of your research in 10 words? To reinvigorate anti-tumour immunity by reprogramming immunosuppressive myeloid cells. A lot of your work involves haematopoietic cell kinase (HCK). Can you tell me what that is, what you’ve learned...
First up: can you describe the aim of your research in 10 words? To reinvigorate anti-tumour immunity by reprogramming immunosuppressive myeloid...
Promising results for neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy in resectable lung cancer
The efficacy of neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy in resectable stage IIIA non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been supported by results presented at ASCO 2022 showing unprecedentedly high survival rates. Three year data from the NADIM trial showed that overall survival...
The efficacy of neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy in resectable stage IIIA non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been supported by results...
SCLC subtypes show potential for more personalised therapeutic approaches
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) can be divided into three specific molecular subgroups in terms of clinical behaviour, European researchers have shown. Differential expression of the subtype-specific proteins ASCL1, NEUROD1, and POU2F3 in tumour tissue defines biologically distinct SCLC subtypes that...
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) can be divided into three specific molecular subgroups in terms of clinical behaviour, European researchers...
Unexplained delays in follow-up after positive findings in lung cancer screening
Almost half of patients with high risk findings at CT screening for lung cancer are not returning in a timely fashion for the recommended follow-up, according to US data presented at the ATS 2022 A retrospective cohort study from Washington state...
Almost half of patients with high risk findings at CT screening for lung cancer are not returning in a timely...
Australian study reveals why men have higher risk of dying from lung cancer
Men have a 43% greater risk of dying from lung cancer than women but most of the survival difference can be explained by known prognostic factors, Australian research shows. Key drivers of sex-related survival disparities in lung cancer mortality included histologic...
Men have a 43% greater risk of dying from lung cancer than women but most of the survival difference can...
CT-first approach urged to tackle delays in lung disease diagnosis
Patients are at risk of a delayed diagnosis of lung disease because of an ongoing reliance on chest X-rays as a first-line method of investigation, a report from the UK has warned. The Taskforce for Lung Health, a coalition...
Patients are at risk of a delayed diagnosis of lung disease because of an ongoing reliance on chest X-rays...
New consensus on EGFR-mutated NSCLC: Professor Tom John
There was a high level of consensus when ESMO brought together 34 experts from 18 countries including Australia, to address nuances in the management of EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The broad set of statements, published in Annals...
There was a high level of consensus when ESMO brought together 34 experts from 18 countries including Australia, to address...
Deficiencies in specialist lung cancer services contribute to poor outcomes
Critical caps in the provision of key health professionals and other resources for the management of lung cancer have been highlighted in an audit of lung cancer services across Australia. A survey of 79 institutions across all Australian states and territories...
Critical caps in the provision of key health professionals and other resources for the management of lung cancer have been...
Fine tuning required before lung cancer screening can proceed: Aussie experts
Australia has the evidence and the appetite for a national lung cancer screening program but there is still work to be done especially around design, implementation and funding. Speaking in a Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) 2021 ASM session on...
Australia has the evidence and the appetite for a national lung cancer screening program but there is still work to...
Antibiotics don’t impair chemo-immunotherapy efficacy in lung cancer
While antibiotics may impair the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, the detrimental effect does not extend to chemo-immunotherapy combinations in patients with lung cancer, new research shows. An international multicentre study involving 302 patients with stage IV NSCLC found no effect...
While antibiotics may impair the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, the detrimental effect does not extend to chemo-immunotherapy combinations in...
Respiratory physicians call for national lung cancer Clinical Quality Registry to address inequalities
Australia needs a national lung cancer Clinical Quality Registry to address widespread inequality in access to services and unwarranted variations in treatments and outcomes, respiratory specialists say. Systematic change is needed to address numerous ongoing deficits and discrepancies in lung cancer...
Australia needs a national lung cancer Clinical Quality Registry to address widespread inequality in access to services and unwarranted variations...
Adjuvant immunotherapy the new standard of care in patients with resected, early-stage NSCLC?
Patients with resected, early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may benefit from adjuvant immunotherapy following adjuvant chemotherapy, according to new findings from a trial of atezolizumab. Presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) virtual Congress 2021, the results from the...
Patients with resected, early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may benefit from adjuvant immunotherapy following adjuvant chemotherapy, according to new...
Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia (TOGA) inaugural meeting highlights: Dr Emily Stone
The inaugural Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia (TOGA) Annual Scientific Meeting was held recently with the theme of equity and innovation in multidisciplinary lung cancer care. The limbic spoke to meeting convenor Dr Emily Stone for some highlights of the...
The inaugural Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia (TOGA) Annual Scientific Meeting was held recently with the theme of equity...
Socioeconomic status a barrier to lung cancer treatment
Systemic therapy rates in patients with lung cancer have fallen short of published benchmarks, especially for people low income groups, according to a NSW study. The study, published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, comprised more than 1,000 patients...
Systemic therapy rates in patients with lung cancer have fallen short of published benchmarks, especially for people low income groups,...
Some lung cancer patients may not be fit for immunotherapy: Australian study
Despite the demonstrated efficacy of immunotherapy in many patients with NSCLC, those with poor performance status (PS) do not enjoy the same survival benefit, an Australian study has shown. Findings from a retrospective study of nivolumab therapy in 66 South Australian...
Despite the demonstrated efficacy of immunotherapy in many patients with NSCLC, those with poor performance status (PS) do not enjoy...
Mesothelioma patients gain PBS access to dual immunotherapy
Dual immunotherapy - nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) - will be PBS listed from July 1 for first-line treatment of unresectable malignant mesothelioma. Evidence for the combination immunotherapy came from the CheckMate-743 trial which found nivolumab plus ipilimumab improved overall survival...
Dual immunotherapy - nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) - will be PBS listed from July 1 for first-line treatment of...
First targeted therapy approved to prevent recurrence of early stage NSCLC
Osimertinib (Tagrisso) has been TGA registered as adjuvant therapy after tumour resection in early stage, EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is the first targeted therapy available to prevent recurrence of disease in this patient group. The evidence comes from the...
Osimertinib (Tagrisso) has been TGA registered as adjuvant therapy after tumour resection in early stage, EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer...
Funding for lung cancer nurses a ‘breakthrough’: Dr Vanessa Brunelli
The first-ever federal funding allocation for specialist lung cancer nurses is painfully small in dollar terms, but it might signal a shift in attitudes towards Australia’s deadliest cancer. Of the $6.9 million outlay for lung cancer programs announced in the May...
The first-ever federal funding allocation for specialist lung cancer nurses is painfully small in dollar terms, but it might signal...
New treatment option approved for patients with early stage NSCLC
Osimertinib (Tagrisso) has been TGA registered as adjuvant therapy after tumour resection in early stage, EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor is the first targeted therapy available to prevent recurrence of disease in this patient group. The...
Osimertinib (Tagrisso) has been TGA registered as adjuvant therapy after tumour resection in early stage, EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer...
Memorial Fund set up for oncologist who died of lung cancer at 40
A fund to support cancer research has been set up in memory of NSW oncologist Dr Sharlyn Kang who died of lung cancer at the age of 40. The Memorial Fund, which aims to raise $100,000 to support the continuation of...
A fund to support cancer research has been set up in memory of NSW oncologist Dr Sharlyn Kang who died...
First steps on national lung cancer screening program to begin in July
Early scoping of a potential national lung cancer screening program will begin from 1 July 2021 with funding allocated in the federal Budget. Cancer Australia has announced it will lead the collaborative engagement of key stakeholders in the early design...
Early scoping of a potential national lung cancer screening program will begin from 1 July 2021 with funding allocated in...
Lung cancer top of the list for assisted dying
Lung cancer is the leading reason for people with terminal illness to seek medical assistance to end their lives, according to the latest figures from Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board. However other serious respiratory conditions such as COPD were infrequently...
Lung cancer is the leading reason for people with terminal illness to seek medical assistance to end their lives, according...
Breath test better than low dose CT for lung cancer screening
A simple breath test that detects volatile organic compound (VOC) biomarkers may be the way forward for lung cancer screening, according to Chinese researchers. In an evaluation study, exhaled breath analysis was found to be a practical and reliable test...
A simple breath test that detects volatile organic compound (VOC) biomarkers may be the way forward for lung cancer screening,...
Why physicians should be ‘driving instructor’ when it comes to opioids: Natasha Smallwood
When it comes to opioid prescribing, respiratory physician Associate Professor Natasha Smallwood says discussion is lacking in a critical area that can put patients and the public at risk for harm: driving. Of 1022 outpatients with advanced...
When it comes to opioid prescribing, respiratory physician Associate Professor Natasha Smallwood says discussion is lacking in a...
PD-L1 points to poor outcomes in EGFR lung cancer
High expression of PD-L1 is associated with shorter survival and resistance to targeted therapies in patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma, according to a new study. While PD-L1 expression has been shown to be associated with response to immunotherapy, previous...
High expression of PD-L1 is associated with shorter survival and resistance to targeted therapies in patients with EGFR-mutant lung...
Lung cancer screening widened to target younger smokers
The US Preventive Services Task Force has updated a recommendation on low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening that has stood since 2013, lowering the age threshold and reducing the required degree of smoking history – but some experts...
The US Preventive Services Task Force has updated a recommendation on low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening that...
Less ‘harm’ from lung cancer screening than trials suggested
The 'harms' of screening for lung cancer such as overdiagnosis are much lower in real-world implementation than were suggested in large RCTs, UK researchers report. Presenting combined real-world data from five UK pilot sites at the 2020...
The 'harms' of screening for lung cancer such as overdiagnosis are much lower in real-world implementation than were...
Older therapy is new maintenance option for patients with mesothelioma
While new immunotherapy options are gaining attention in mesothelioma, older chemotherapy treatments such as gemcitabine may still offer benefits for some patients, oncologists say. Results from a Dutch trial of switch-maintenance gemcitabine have shown significant improvement in progression-free survival with...
While new immunotherapy options are gaining attention in mesothelioma, older chemotherapy treatments such as gemcitabine may still offer benefits for...
KRAS inhibition comes of age for lung cancer?
A phase 2 study of sotorasib in advanced KRAS p.G12C mutated non-small cell lung cancer has delivered promising results including a disease control rate of 80.6%. Dr Bob Li, from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in the US, presented the...
A phase 2 study of sotorasib in advanced KRAS p.G12C mutated non-small cell lung cancer has delivered promising results including...
National lung cancer screening program recommended in report
A targeted lung cancer screening program is predicted to prevent 12,000 deaths and deliver a gain of 30,000-50,000 QALYs in its first ten years. The survival benefits of the program, as outlined in a Cancer Australia report on lung cancer...
A targeted lung cancer screening program is predicted to prevent 12,000 deaths and deliver a gain of 30,000-50,000 QALYs in...
TSANZ says new evidence strengthens case against vaping for smoking cessation
Respiratory experts have urged parliament not to ease access to electronic cigarettes, saying new evidence has confirmed that vaping has little benefit in tobacco smoking cessation and harms the lungs. Professor Matthew Peters, Professor of Respiratory Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, has...
Respiratory experts have urged parliament not to ease access to electronic cigarettes, saying new evidence has confirmed that vaping has...
Real world lung cancer screening adherence is lower than trial rates
In a major reality check for lung cancer screening advocates, adherence rates in the real world are a far cry from the achievements seen in RCTs such as the NELSON and NLST trials. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the...
In a major reality check for lung cancer screening advocates, adherence rates in the real world are a far cry...
Screening reveals high rates of early stage silicosis in stone workers
More than a third of stone workers reviewed by a respiratory physician in a Victorian program have been diagnosed with silicosis. A study of 239 workers who had completed their two-step evaluation in the Victorian Stonemason Health Assessment and Research...
More than a third of stone workers reviewed by a respiratory physician in a Victorian program have been diagnosed with...
Lung cancer overtaken by dementia as second leading cause of death in males
Dementia has replaced lung cancer as the second leading cause of death for males in Australia. For females, lung cancer has fallen from fourth to fifth highest cause of death, according 2019 figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. In its...
Dementia has replaced lung cancer as the second leading cause of death for males in Australia. For females, lung cancer has...
New TSANZ guidance on respiratory surveillance for dust diseases
The TSANZ has released new recommendations on respiratory surveillance to tackle the rapidly re-emerging threats of coal mine dust lung disease and silicosis in artificial stone workers. Following recent serious outbreaks of mining-related pneumoconiosis and artificial stone (AS) silicosis, the TSANZ...
The TSANZ has released new recommendations on respiratory surveillance to tackle the rapidly re-emerging threats of coal mine dust lung...
Lung screening is coming to Australia – the question is in what form
The evidence of lung cancer screening benefit is now so strong that it will inevitably come to Australia, the only question being how it is implemented, according to local experts. Presentations at the recent ERS 2020 virtual congress showed that the...
The evidence of lung cancer screening benefit is now so strong that it will inevitably come to Australia, the only...
Why lung cancer patients don’t receive guideline recommended therapy
Most patients with lung cancer are receiving guideline-concordant treatment (GCT) but there is still plenty of room for improvement, a Victorian study has shown. Using data from almost 5,000 patients with NSCLC or SCLC recruited to the Victorian Lung Cancer Registry...
Most patients with lung cancer are receiving guideline-concordant treatment (GCT) but there is still plenty of room for improvement, a...
Lung cancer screening evidence contested at ERS 2020
There is now "more than enough" evidence to implement screening programs for lung cancer, the lead author of a European Respiratory Society review paper on the topic told delegates at the society's virtual annual conference. In a debate session during ERS2020,...
There is now "more than enough" evidence to implement screening programs for lung cancer, the lead author of a European...
ALK inhibitor suitable for first line therapy in NSCLC
The ALK inhibitor lorlatinib could be used in first line treatment of ALK-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) because of its high efficacy against brain metastases, an Australian-led phase 3 trial has shown. An interim analysis of the CROWN trial, presented...
The ALK inhibitor lorlatinib could be used in first line treatment of ALK-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) because of its...
Advanced mesothelioma: frontline chemoimmunotherapy shows promise in DREAM trial
A combination of durvalumab and standard first-line chemotherapy has shown promise for the management of untreated patients with advanced mesothelioma unsuitable for surgery. The phase 2 single-arm Australian study, published in The Lancet Oncology, is the first clinical trial reporting...
A combination of durvalumab and standard first-line chemotherapy has shown promise for the management of untreated patients with advanced mesothelioma...
Assisted dying scheme needs more respiratory specialists on board
Specialists utilising Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying laws to assist terminally-ill patients say there is a desperate need for more doctors to get involved, as new figures show the number of patients using the scheme has far surpassed initial estimates. A new...
Specialists utilising Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying laws to assist terminally-ill patients say there is a desperate need for more doctors...
Lung cancer patients with COVID-19 have 36% mortality rate: TERAVOLT
People with thoracic cancers are at higher risk of death from COVID-19 with one in three dying, according to the latest data from the international TERAVOLT registry. Presenting an update of COVID-19 outcomes for 1053 patients with a range of lung...
People with thoracic cancers are at higher risk of death from COVID-19 with one in three dying, according to the...
Lessons from NELSON study: implementation trials the next step in lung cancer screening
Countries should be building their national lung cancer screening programs given the clear cut evidence that screening is effective, that the benefits outweigh the harms, and that it can also be cost effective. Speaking at ATS 2020 Virtual, Professor Harry de...
Countries should be building their national lung cancer screening programs given the clear cut evidence that screening is effective, that...
First positive results for dual immunotherapy in mesothelioma
Dual immunotherapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab should be the new standard of care for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, according to researchers whose trial showed improved overall survival compared to platinum-based chemotherapy. Presented at the International Association for the Study...
Dual immunotherapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab should be the new standard of care for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, according...
Lung cancer detected at earlier stage with biomarker-based screening
The addition of a biomarker blood test in a lung cancer screening program can increase the detection of early stage disease and may offer a more targeted approach, a UK study has shown. An autoantibody blood test followed by imaging detected...
The addition of a biomarker blood test in a lung cancer screening program can increase the detection of early stage...
Biomarker blood test may detect earlier stage disease in lung cancer screening
The addition of a biomarker blood test in a lung cancer screening program can increase the detection of early stage disease and may offer a more targeted approach, a UK study has shown. An autoantibody blood test followed by imaging detected...
The addition of a biomarker blood test in a lung cancer screening program can increase the detection of early stage...
Dual immunotherapy approved for NSCLC
The TGA has approved a dual immunotherapy regimen combined with limited chemotherapy for the frontline treatment of some advanced non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). The combination of nivolumab (Opdivo), a PD-1 inhibitor, plus ipilimumab (Yervoy), a CTLA-4 inhibitor, with two cycles...
The TGA has approved a dual immunotherapy regimen combined with limited chemotherapy for the frontline treatment of some advanced non-small...
TSANZ comes out strongly against e-cigarettes
The TSANZ’s long-awaited position statement on e-cigarettes has been released with a firm rejection of their use for smoking cessation on the grounds that vaporised nicotine products are unproven and unsafe. The TSANZ has now joined other health groups such...
The TSANZ’s long-awaited position statement on e-cigarettes has been released with a firm rejection of their use for smoking...
Lung cancer research faces shake-up after dramatic split of ALTG
The Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group (ALTG) president and entire Management Advisory Committee have quit and started their own breakaway trials group in a dramatic split from the Lung Foundation Australia (LFA), which described it as “not in the best...
The Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group (ALTG) president and entire Management Advisory Committee have quit and started their own breakaway...
KRAS mutation targetable for better outcomes in smokers with NSCLC
The most common of the KRAS mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been flagged as potentially targetable and may therefore help improve patient outcomes. A real-world study from the Thoracic Malignancies Cohort at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre comprised...
The most common of the KRAS mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been flagged as potentially targetable and...
Lung cancer outcomes gap still wide for Indigenous Australians
Indigenous people with lung cancer are much more likely to die than non-Indigenous people, despite having similar stage at diagnosis and receiving similar treatments, a new study from the NT has found. A review of outcomes for 91 Indigenous and...
Indigenous people with lung cancer are much more likely to die than non-Indigenous people, despite having similar stage at diagnosis...
Call for lung cancer specialist nurse funding
The government is being urged to fund specialist lung cancer nurses in the same way as it is already funding specialist nurses for other common cancers. A petition backed by Lung Foundation Australia calls for this years Federal Budget to provide...
The government is being urged to fund specialist lung cancer nurses in the same way as it is already funding...
Osimertinib could be new standard of care for EGFRm NSCLC
Osimertinib has been shown to be useful in patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with resectable disease, according to a ‘practice-changing’ presentation at the 2020 ASCO Virtual Scientific Program. Professor Roy Herbst, chief of medical oncology from Yale...
Osimertinib has been shown to be useful in patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with resectable disease,...
A/Prof Nick Pavlakis: how lung cancer care has changed in the COVID-19 pandemic
Working from home, using telehealth, shielding patients from the virus and adjusting treatments: in this article, lung cancer specialist Associate Professor Nick Pavlakis talks to the limbic about the profound impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on medical oncology...
Working from home, using telehealth, shielding patients from the virus and adjusting treatments: in this article, lung cancer specialist Associate...
Lung cancer linked to higher mortality in COVID-19
Cancer specialists from several countries have used the American Association for Cancer Research's virtual meeting to report their early experiences of the impact of COVID-19 disease in cancer patients, including how lung involvement may be a risk for higher mortality. Dr...
Cancer specialists from several countries have used the American Association for Cancer Research's virtual meeting to report their early experiences...
Lung cancer conference: Associate Professor Nick Pavlakis on the steps to improving care
The 8th Biennial Australian Lung Cancer Conference 2020 was held in Melbourne recently. The Limbic spoke to Associate Professor Nick Pavlakis, president of the Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group (ALTG) for his perspective on...
The 8th Biennial Australian Lung Cancer Conference 2020 was held in Melbourne recently. The Limbic...
ALCC 2020: Lung cancer screening works – it’s time to do it
Australia doesn’t have to wait for all the answers before starting a lung cancer screening program - it should instead “jump in and do it”. Speaking to the limbic after the Australian Lung Cancer Conference (ALCC) 2020 in Melbourne, Dr Henry...
Australia doesn’t have to wait for all the answers before starting a lung cancer screening program - it should instead...
Case for targeted lung cancer screening bolstered by NELSON results, experts say
The case for targeted screening programs for lung cancer has been bolstered by results from the European NELSON study, a leading UK clinician argues. Professor David Baldwin, consultant respiratory physician in Nottingham and a member of NHS England's advisory group on...
The case for targeted screening programs for lung cancer has been bolstered by results from the European NELSON study, a...
PBS broadens access to COPD triple therapy and lung cancer immunotherapy
For COPD patients the PBS is to remove the clinical criteria restricting access to patients with a FEV1 <50% of predicted for triple therapy Trelegy (fluticasone furoate with umeclidinium and vilanterol) from 1 March 2020. The move is expected to allow...
For COPD patients the PBS is to remove the clinical criteria restricting access to patients with a FEV1 <50% of...
Vaping backed for smoking cessation in ‘pragmatic’ new RACGP guidelines
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has given a conditional recommendation for the use of e-cigarettes as a last resort in smoking cessation guidelines. However the College stresses the move is not a major shift in policy or...
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has given a conditional recommendation for the use of e-cigarettes as a...
National Dust Disease Taskforce’ advice slammed as lacking urgency
The Federal government has accepted all recommendations of the National Dust Disease Taskforce’s interim report, but lawyers representing stonemasons affected by accelerated silicosis have condemned the Taskforce's advice as “pathetic and weak”. Minister for Health Greg Hunt said the government will...
The Federal government has accepted all recommendations of the National Dust Disease Taskforce’s interim report, but lawyers representing stonemasons affected...
Lung Foundation seeks help to counter Big Tobacco’s latest toxic product
Lung Foundation Australia is seeking clinician support for its advocacy campaign against Big Tobacco’s bid to market another harmful product in Australia: heat-not-burn (HnB) tobacco. Unlike e-cigarettes that use chemical liquids, HnB electronic devices contain tobacco leaf...
Lung Foundation Australia is seeking clinician support for its advocacy campaign against Big Tobacco’s bid to market another...
Active case finding urgently needed for silicosis epidemic: TSANZ
The silicosis epidemic uncovered among artificial stone cutting workers in Queensland is likely to be replicated in NSW but the state government has been accused of having no idea of the numbers. An audit of 140 workplaces in Queensland has...
The silicosis epidemic uncovered among artificial stone cutting workers in Queensland is likely to be replicated in NSW but the...
Disappointing results for mesothelioma trial
Data from the highly anticipated PROMISE-meso trial failed to deliver, with no PFS or OS benefit seen for pembrolizumab compared to standard chemotherapy. The Phase III trial, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress...
Data from the highly anticipated PROMISE-meso trial failed to deliver, with no PFS or OS benefit seen for...
Atezolizumab shows OS benefit over chemo in PD-L1 high NSCLC
Atezolizumab is a promising first line treatment option for patients with PD-L1 high NSCLC, interim OS analysis from the IMpower110 trial suggests. Presenting data at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2019 congress in Barcelona, Dr David R. Spigel from...
Atezolizumab is a promising first line treatment option for patients with PD-L1 high NSCLC, interim OS analysis from the IMpower110...
First KRAS-targeted therapy for lung cancer shows promise
Until now KRAS-positive lung cancers have been considered ‘undruggable’ but early results with the first targeted therapy have shown promising and durable response rates. Presented at the World Congress on Lung Cancer 2019 meeting in Barcelona, the phase 1 study results...
Until now KRAS-positive lung cancers have been considered ‘undruggable’ but early results with the first targeted therapy have shown promising...
Vaping-NRT combination boosts smoking quit rates
New evidence from a New Zealand vaping study suggests that more smokers could successfully quit if they use e-cigarettes in combination with nicotine patches. The randomised trial, published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine, is said to be the first to test...
New evidence from a New Zealand vaping study suggests that more smokers could successfully quit if they use e-cigarettes in...
Warning of normal X-rays in silicosis patients
Chest X-ray findings range from “normal” in 43% of silicosis cases through to progressive massive fibrosis in 21% of the 78 cases identified in Queensland stonemasons since December 2018. According to a retrospective review of the cases, chest radiographs appear...
Chest X-ray findings range from “normal” in 43% of silicosis cases through to progressive massive fibrosis in 21% of the...
Minister requests feasibility study for lung cancer screening
Federal minister for health Greg Hunt has responded to calls for a funded lung cancer screening pilot trial by saying he would like to see a feasibility study. Speaking at a World Lung Cancer Day event on 1 August organised...
Federal minister for health Greg Hunt has responded to calls for a funded lung cancer screening pilot trial by saying...
Start date announced for National Dust Disease Taskforce
A National Dust Disease Taskforce that includes three respiratory physicians will start work next month to develop a national approach to managing the re-emerging epidemic of workplace silicosis. Announced on 26 July by Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy,...
A National Dust Disease Taskforce that includes three respiratory physicians will start work next month to develop a national...
Lung cancer: personalised medicine to be delivered by ‘molecular champions’
Oncology clinics of the future may be organised by tumour biomarker signature rather than by disease, a specialist meeting in Sydney has heard. With novel selectively-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) likely to become available from next year, it may make more...
Oncology clinics of the future may be organised by tumour biomarker signature rather than by disease, a specialist meeting in...
Silicosis patients also at risk of scleroderma
Occupational exposure to silica dust can lead to accelerated early-onset scleroderma as well as silicosis, workers are being advised by a personal injury law firm. Young workers in the stone cutting industry are developing autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma and rheumatoid...
Occupational exposure to silica dust can lead to accelerated early-onset scleroderma as well as silicosis, workers are being advised by...
PBS allows unrestricted pemetrexed use in first-line treatment of NSCLC
The PBS de-restriction of pemetrexed to allow it to be used in the first-line treatment of NSCLC has been welcome by the Medical Oncology Group of Australia. Chair Professor Chris Karapetis said the changing of the listing for pemetrexed on the...
The PBS de-restriction of pemetrexed to allow it to be used in the first-line treatment of NSCLC has been welcome...
‘Non-expandable lung’ common finding in mesothelioma patients
The presence of ‘non-expandable’ lung in patients with mesothelioma may be more common than previously reported and is linked to shorter survival, according to UK researchers who carried out a ten-year study. In an analysis of 229 patients, a team from...
The presence of ‘non-expandable’ lung in patients with mesothelioma may be more common than previously reported and is linked to...
Atezolizumab-based combination gets first line approval for metastatic NSCLC
The TGA has approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin), and chemotherapy (paclitaxel and carboplatin), for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The immunotherapy-chemotherapy combination is indicated for patients with EGFR mutant...
The TGA has approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin), and chemotherapy (paclitaxel and carboplatin), for the first-line treatment...
1 in 4 patients with advanced NSCLC alive at 5 years with immunotherapy
Five-year survival rates approaching 30% have been seen for some patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with pembrolizumab, according to the latest results from the KEYNOTE-1 study. Presented at ASCO 2019, the new findings show that life expectancy...
Five-year survival rates approaching 30% have been seen for some patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with pembrolizumab,...
Infographic shows modern day benefits and harms of lung cancer screening
A contemporary infographic on the benefits and harms of lung cancer screening has been developed by an international group of experts. In a Spotlight article published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine the team from the UK and...
A contemporary infographic on the benefits and harms of lung cancer screening has been developed by an international...
National Dust Diseases Taskforce to be set up this year
A national dust diseases taskforce will be set up to tackle the epidemic of silicosis in workers in the stone cutting industry. Federal minister for health Greg Hunt has made a $5 million pledge towards the task force following renewed calls...
A national dust diseases taskforce will be set up to tackle the epidemic of silicosis in workers in the stone...
Respiratory physician wins case against asbestos industry lobbyist
An international expert on mesothelioma has won a landmark legal case against an asbestos industry lobbyist who accused him of falsifying the health risks of the product. Dr Robin Rudd, a UK respiratory physician who has spent...
An international expert on mesothelioma has won a landmark legal case against an asbestos industry lobbyist who accused...
Professor Ian Yang: exploring coexisting COPD and lung cancer
The devastating diagnosis of lung cancer in patients with COPD has led to some interesting observations such as the apparent higher sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with both diseases compared to lung cancer alone. Speaking at TSANZSRS 2019,...
The devastating diagnosis of lung cancer in patients with COPD has led to some interesting observations such as the apparent...
Advanced lung cancer patients get real benefits from home exercise support
Home-based rehabilitation to encourage exercise can help improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with inoperable lung cancer. Physiotherapist Lara Edbrooke told the TSANZSRS meeting that lung cancer patients typically had higher levels of symptom distress and uncontrolled symptoms than...
Home-based rehabilitation to encourage exercise can help improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with inoperable lung cancer. Physiotherapist Lara...
Functional decline at end of life shows ‘tipping point’ in respiratory patients
Functional decline at the end of life shows two distinct trajectories for patients with conditions such as lung cancer and COPD compared to those with more stable illnesses such as dementia, an Australian study has shown. The finding that functional decline for...
Functional decline at the end of life shows two distinct trajectories for patients with conditions such as lung cancer and COPD...
Woolcock’s lung cancer centre leader looks to microbiome
Lung microbiome researcher Professor Maija Kohonen-Corish has been appointed to lead the Lung Cancer Centre at Sydney’s Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. Professor Kohonen-Corish says that investigation of the role of lung microbiota and lung disease will be among several streams...
Lung microbiome researcher Professor Maija Kohonen-Corish has been appointed to lead the Lung Cancer Centre at Sydney’s Woolcock Institute of...
Room to improve care for stage lll NSCLC
The lung cancer multidisciplinary team (MDT) is critical to best practice and better outcomes in patients with stage lll non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, according to a review article in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, only about half...
The lung cancer multidisciplinary team (MDT) is critical to best practice and better outcomes in patients with stage lll non-small...
RACP calls for urgent action on dust diseases recommendations
The RACP has urged states and territories to adopt TSANZ recommendations to tackle the burgeoning epidemic of silicosis in the manufactured stone industry. The College has welcomed a NSW review of its Dust Diseases Scheme and has called for all sides of...
The RACP has urged states and territories to adopt TSANZ recommendations to tackle the burgeoning epidemic of silicosis in the...
SABR the treatment of choice for inoperable stage 1 NSCLC
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) should be the treatment of choice for patients with inoperable peripherally located stage 1 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), say the Australian authors of a phase 3 trial published in Lancet Oncology. The randomised CHISEL...
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) should be the treatment of choice for patients with inoperable peripherally located stage 1 non-small...
$4 million launch for National Strategic Action Plan for Lung Conditions
The Lung Foundation of Australia has welcomed government funding of $4 million for its National Strategic Action Plan for Lung Conditions, describing it as “a step in the right direction”. The Plan, launched in Canberra on by Federal Minister for...
The Lung Foundation of Australia has welcomed government funding of $4 million for its National Strategic Action Plan for...
Lung cancer still diagnosed in emergency settings
Many patients with lung cancer are being diagnosed in emergency settings, and fewer than half see a lung specialist in the lead up to diagnosis, a NSW study shows. A review of “pathways to diagnosis” for 894 people with non-small...
Many patients with lung cancer are being diagnosed in emergency settings, and fewer than half see a lung specialist in...
CHEST Australia trial shows it’s an uphill challenge to detect lung cancer early
A behavioural intervention to encourage people at increased risk of lung cancer to seek help for respiratory symptoms has led to more consultations but failed to reduce the time to consultation and a potential diagnosis. The CHEST Australia trial, conducted...
A behavioural intervention to encourage people at increased risk of lung cancer to seek help for respiratory symptoms has led...
Crizotinib and osimertinib listed on PBS for lung cancer
Crizotinib (Xalkori) is now available through the PBS for lung cancer patients with a c-ROS proto-oncogene 1 (ROS1) gene rearrangement. From 1 January the drug is subsidised for patients with Stage IIIB (locally advanced) or Stage IV (metastatic) non-small cell...
Crizotinib (Xalkori) is now available through the PBS for lung cancer patients with a c-ROS proto-oncogene 1 (ROS1) gene rearrangement. From...
Lung Foundation launches campaign to tackle lack of empathy for lung cancer
The Lung Foundation Australia is launching a campaign to counter the stigma around lung cancer that acts as a barrier to people with the disease getting treatment and support. The belief that all lung cancer is due to smoking - and...
The Lung Foundation Australia is launching a campaign to counter the stigma around lung cancer that acts as a barrier...
Lung cancer deaths still increasing
Mortality rates for lung cancer are declining given the peak in tobacco consumption has passed, but the number of deaths for Australian men and women will continue to rise until 2040. An analysis of data showed deaths will continue to...
Mortality rates for lung cancer are declining given the peak in tobacco consumption has passed, but the number of deaths...
Why no breakthrough for mesothelioma? The answer is genomic
The lack of breakthrough treatments for mesothelioma in recent years is because the cancer is not associated with a single genetic mutation that can be targeted, a UK expert told the COSA (Clinical Oncology Society of Australia) 2018 meeting in...
The lack of breakthrough treatments for mesothelioma in recent years is because the cancer is not associated with a single...
Lung cancer screening within 5 years – but will it target the right people?
Australia is likely to introduce lung cancer screening within five years but it must ensure high risk groups beyond smokers are targeted, researchers told COSA 2018. People who have occupational exposure to asbestos have a high risk of lung cancer similar...
Australia is likely to introduce lung cancer screening within five years but it must ensure high risk groups beyond smokers...
Pembrolizumab gets PBS listing for first line treatment of advanced NSCLC
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) will be listed on the PBS from 1 November as a first line treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In a statement manufacturer MSD said the drug will be reimbursed for patients with metaststic (stage...
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) will be listed on the PBS from 1 November as a first line treatment of patients with advanced...
Key reforms needed to avoid disjointed care for lung cancer patients: LFA
Employing more specialist lung cancer nurses is key to improving access to treatment and reducing clinical nihilism, according to a blueprint report for reform released by Lung Foundation Australia (LFA). The report says lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer...
Employing more specialist lung cancer nurses is key to improving access to treatment and reducing clinical nihilism, according to a...
Respiratory physician elected to Academy in recognition of medical research
Respiratory physician and asbestos disease researcher Professor Bruce Robinson is among the 37 new Fellows elected to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences in recognition of their outstanding contributions to health and medical research in Australia. Professor Robinson is...
Respiratory physician and asbestos disease researcher Professor Bruce Robinson is among the 37 new Fellows elected to the Australian Academy...
Don’t look for lung cancers on coronary CT angiograms
Opportunistic screening for lung cancers is not recommended on coronary CT scans because they are unlikely to yield worthwhile results from incidental findings, a Victorian study has concluded. While pulmonary nodules are...
Opportunistic screening for lung cancers is not recommended on coronary CT...
Malignant pleural effusions: the jury is still out on definitive management
An ERS statement on definitive management of malignant pleural effusions has stopped short of recommending either talc pleurodesis or indwelling pleural catheters ahead of the other procedure. The joint European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) summary...
An ERS statement on definitive management of malignant pleural effusions has stopped short of recommending either talc pleurodesis or indwelling...
Deprescribing call for lung cancer patients taking unnecessary medicines
De-prescribing will help relieve the pill burden for lung cancer patients who are often taking unnecessary preventive medications such as statins and antihypertensives in the advanced stages of their disease, a study shows. A retrospective review of medical records for patients...
De-prescribing will help relieve the pill burden for lung cancer patients who are often taking unnecessary preventive medications such as...
Big Tobacco vs Australia’s Plain Packaging
Australia was the first country in the world to mandate plain tobacco packaging and, despite ongoing litigation, the tobacco industry’s fears are being realised as others follow suit Australia’s starkly ‘plain’ tobacco packages are now a familiar sight. Since December 2012,...
Australia was the first country in the world to mandate plain tobacco packaging and, despite ongoing litigation, the tobacco industry’s...
Young women with lung cancer face early menopause from chemo
Chemotherapy may cause acute amenorrhea leading to early menopause in women with lung cancer, a US study has shown. In findings that may guide advice on embryo and oocyte cryopreservation for young women before cancer treatment, researchers at the Mayo Clinic,...
Chemotherapy may cause acute amenorrhea leading to early menopause in women with lung cancer, a US study has shown. In findings...
Push to deregulate e-cigs in UK
MPs in the UK have called for a more ‘risk-proportionate’ approach to the regulation of e-cigarettes, where advertising rules and tax duties reflect “evidence of the relative harms of the various e-cigarette and tobacco products available”. In its final report...
MPs in the UK have called for a more ‘risk-proportionate’ approach to the regulation of e-cigarettes, where advertising rules and tax...
Lung cancer patients benefit from brachytherapy palliation
Endobronchial brachytherapy is underused for the palliation of symptoms in end-stage lung cancer despite its high response rate and low toxicity, NSW research suggests. According to a review of 95 procedures performed in 86 patients at St George Hospital, Sydney,...
Endobronchial brachytherapy is underused for the palliation of symptoms in end-stage lung cancer despite its high response rate and low...
Lung cancer diagnosis difficulties highlighted in NSW study
One in three patients with lung cancer is diagnosed after an emergency department presentation despite multiple preceding visits to a GP, a study from NSW has shown. Highlighting the difficulties and delays in diagnosis of lung cancer, a review of care...
One in three patients with lung cancer is diagnosed after an emergency department presentation despite multiple preceding visits to a...
Have your say on National Strategic Action Plan for Lung Conditions
Input from respiratory specialists is being sought on Australia’s first National Strategic Action Plan for Lung Conditions. Working with support from the Federal Department of Health, the Lung Foundation of Australia (LFA) is working on a national plan that will define...
Input from respiratory specialists is being sought on Australia’s first National Strategic Action Plan for Lung Conditions. Working with support from...
Mesothelioma risk misunderstood, says specialist
A medical oncologist is sounding the alarm over mesothelioma, warning a crisis in medical research funding is putting all Australians at risk. Professor Anna Nowak, director of the National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases at the University of Western Australia, has...
A medical oncologist is sounding the alarm over mesothelioma, warning a crisis in medical research funding is putting all Australians...
Lung cancer patients pay more than $20,000 in upfront fees
One quarter of cancer patients are paying more than $20,000 in up-front doctors' fees for their treatment, a new study suggests. Australian researchers linked data from 452 patients with melanoma and breast, prostate, lung and colorectal cancer to Medicare data on...
One quarter of cancer patients are paying more than $20,000 in up-front doctors' fees for their treatment, a new study...
Palliative care group opposes opioid prescribing curbs
Palliative medicine clinicians are warning against a regulatory move to curtail GPs’ powers to prescribe opioids. The controversial idea to limit prescribing of Schedule 8 opioids to specialist/authority prescribing or to "certain classes of medical practitioners" was put forward in a...
Palliative medicine clinicians are warning against a regulatory move to curtail GPs’ powers to prescribe opioids. The controversial idea to limit...
Row over lung cancer drug deal
The Opposition has questioned why the government gave a drug company a special pricing deal for its lung cancer drug, against the advice of the PBAC. Labor has accused Health Minister Greg Hunt of "cherry picking" the PBAC's recommendations after he...
The Opposition has questioned why the government gave a drug company a special pricing deal for its lung cancer drug,...
Novel therapies begin to ‘outsmart’ ALK-positive NSCLC
Rare ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can achieve an ‘impressive’ overall survival of almost four years (46 months) when aggressively managed, Australian clinicians have shown. A study of 35 patients identified between 2010 and 2016 at the Royal North...
Rare ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can achieve an ‘impressive’ overall survival of almost four years (46 months) when...
Lung cancer’s other side effect: financial toxicity
A diagnosis of lung cancer comes with a huge financial burden that goes beyond the hefty out of pocket costs for scans, surgery and drug treatments, a patient representative says. Loss of paid employment is a common occurrence for patients with...
A diagnosis of lung cancer comes with a huge financial burden that goes beyond the hefty out of pocket costs...
Immune therapy benefits confirmed in NSCLC
Overall survival is doubled in patients with metastatic NSCLC treated with pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy compared to chemo alone, a phase 3 trial has shown. In findings released at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in Chicago,...
Overall survival is doubled in patients with metastatic NSCLC treated with pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy compared to chemo alone,...
Liquid biopsy could replace lung tissue biopsy: Australian trial
It’s a “no brainer” that liquid biopsy will eventually supersede tissue biopsy in guiding lung cancer treatment decisions, but more work is needed on the practical aspects of the procedure, early Australian experience suggests. A trial of liquid biopsy for detecting...
It’s a “no brainer” that liquid biopsy will eventually supersede tissue biopsy in guiding lung cancer treatment decisions, but more...
Checkpoint inhibitors show potential for first line use in NSCLC
The next step for immune therapy in lung cancer is in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy as first line treatment, according to oncologist Associate Professor Chris Karapetis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are listed on the PBS as second line treatments for non-small...
The next step for immune therapy in lung cancer is in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy as first line treatment,...
Lung cancer screening hurdles become apparent in ILST
The practical problems of running a national lung cancer screening program are becoming apparent as Australian centres enter their second year of a five-year trial of low dose CT testing. With a target of recruiting 2000 current and former smokers to...
The practical problems of running a national lung cancer screening program are becoming apparent as Australian centres enter their second...
Ask the right questions for lung cancer symptom control: Prof David Currow
By asking the right questions, clinicians can do much more to help lung cancer patients avoid debilitating symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue and cough, according to oncologist Professor David Currow. Patients often...
By asking the right questions, clinicians can do much more to...
ATLANTIC trial shows immune checkpoint inhibitors may have role in advanced NSCLC
The immune checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab may have a role in the treatment of EGFR+ tumours with high PD-L1 expression, results from the phase 2 ATLANTIC study show. Published this week in Lancet Oncology the open-label, single-arm...
The immune checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab may have a role in the treatment of EGFR+ tumours with high PD-L1...
Nicotine cap on e-cigs ‘too low’, inquiry told
The UK should rethink restrictions on nicotine levels in e-cigarettes, researchers argue, saying people using lower nicotine concentration e-liquids take longer and more frequent puffs, increasing their exposure to potentially harmful compounds. Addressing a parliamentary inquiry into e-cigarettes last week, smoking...
The UK should rethink restrictions on nicotine levels in e-cigarettes, researchers argue, saying people using lower nicotine concentration e-liquids take...
Asbestos-related lung disease risk will persist, researchers warn
Asbestos-related lung disease has only just peaked in Australia and vigilance is still required against conditions such as mesothelioma for year to come, researchers warn. While asbestos was banned in 2003, widespread use in building materials prior to this time means...
Asbestos-related lung disease has only just peaked in Australia and vigilance is still required against conditions such as mesothelioma for...
UK: First guidelines for the management of mesothelioma
The newly-published British Thoracic Society guideline on the investigation and management of pleural malignant mesothelioma should help reduce “wide and unwarranted variation,” in care, according to the lead author. Speaking to the limbic, Dr Ian Woolhouse, consultant respiratory physician at...
The newly-published British Thoracic Society guideline on the investigation and management of pleural malignant mesothelioma should help reduce “wide...
Mandatory end-of-life care standards to be introduced in 2019
All hospitals and healthcare providers will need to have systems to support optimum end-of-life care under new national quality standards to be introduced in 2019. Routine provision of advanced care plans, substitute decision makers and shared decision making will be key...
All hospitals and healthcare providers will need to have systems to support optimum end-of-life care under new national quality standards...
Professor Kwun Fong: What does 2018 hold for lung cancer?
What will be the big challenges and changes for lung cancer treatment and research in 2018? we spoke to expert Professor Kwun Fong, Senior Staff Specialist/Clinical Manager Pulmonary Malignancy Unit, at The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, to find out. ...
What will be the big challenges and changes for lung cancer treatment and research in 2018? we spoke to expert...
Modest investment will cut hospitalisations and deaths from lung disease: Lung Foundation
The signs of early lung disease are not being picked up in primary care, warns the nation's respiratory health advocacy group which is calling for a national training program to upskill GPs. Lung Foundation Australia has called on the federal government...
The signs of early lung disease are not being picked up in primary care, warns the nation's respiratory health advocacy...
Pilot lung health checks identifying cancer in high-risk
Pilot lung health check schemes in London, Liverpool and Manchester demonstrate that it is possible to “reach the unreachable” and diagnose lung cancer early in people at high risk. Delegates at the BTS Winter Meeting heard that targeted screening, intended to...
Pilot lung health check schemes in London, Liverpool and Manchester demonstrate that it is possible to “reach the unreachable” and...
Evidence builds to support lung cancer screening in high-risk
Lung cancer screening for people at high risk is feasible with risk prediction tools helping to refine the process, the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR) Congress was told. Research from the Lungscreen WA Project presented at the Congress showed use...
Lung cancer screening for people at high risk is feasible with risk prediction tools helping to refine the process, the...
Questions raised about follow-up after lung cancer treatment
More work is needed to clarify optimal surveillance of patients following curative treatment for lung cancer, the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR) Congress in Sydney was told. Dr Emily Stone, a senior staff specialist in thoracic medicine at St Vincent’s...
More work is needed to clarify optimal surveillance of patients following curative treatment for lung cancer, the Asian Pacific Society...
Mesothelioma cases starting to fall
If there can be any good news about mesothelioma, it’s that the peak incidence of the asbestos-related disease has probably been reached in Australia. And the risk of developing mesothelioma from occasional home renovations was extremely low. According to a Narrative...
If there can be any good news about mesothelioma, it’s that the peak incidence of the asbestos-related disease has probably...
Survey finds lack of empathy for people with lung cancer
The perception that lung cancer patients ‘have only themselves to blame’ is common in the community - suggesting a general lack of empathy and support for patients with lung cancer compared to other severe illnesses. A Lung Foundation Australia survey has...
The perception that lung cancer patients ‘have only themselves to blame’ is common in the community - suggesting a general...
No urgency to bring in early palliative care for mesothelioma
Early specialist palliative care for patients recently diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma does not improve quality of life or mood over standard care. The findings, presented recently at the 18th World Conference on Lung Cancer, reinforce usual practice to refer patients...
Early specialist palliative care for patients recently diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma does not improve quality of life or mood...
Precautionary principle is ‘immoral’, vaping inquiry hears
Doctors’ groups have condemned the decision to allow a second tobacco giant to front the federal government’s inquiry into vaping. Philip Morris Limited used its time in front of federal MPs to describe its goal to convert over a quarter of...
Doctors’ groups have condemned the decision to allow a second tobacco giant to front the federal government’s inquiry into vaping. Philip...
Hundreds of lung cancer cases caused by silica dust
Silica dust exposure is being attributed to over 230 lung cancer cases in Australia each year. The new estimate attempting to quantify damage from occupational exposure to invisible crystalline silica was released by the Cancer Council Australia, which estimates 600,000 Australian...
Silica dust exposure is being attributed to over 230 lung cancer cases in Australia each year. The new estimate attempting to...
Heart trial finds lung cancer benefit
Results from a trial on the use of the monoclonal antibody canakinumab in heart disease has failed to impress, but an exploratory analysis suggests it may have a role in lung cancer. The trial was not designed to explore the benefits...
Results from a trial on the use of the monoclonal antibody canakinumab in heart disease has failed to impress, but...
How checkpoint inhibitors are changing the outlook for lung cancer patients
Immunotherapy is making its mark in the management of lung cancer - the leading cause of cancer deaths in Australia. Survival is being extended for many patients and new agents have just been added to the PBS for patients who...
Immunotherapy is making its mark in the management of lung cancer - the leading cause of cancer deaths in Australia....
Lung Foundation welcomes new option for advanced lung cancer
Around 4,500 people living with advanced lung cancer are set to benefit from the new PBS listing of a checkpoint immunotherapy. Nivolumab (Opvido) has been listed on the PBS for locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and advanced (stage...
Around 4,500 people living with advanced lung cancer are set to benefit from the new PBS listing of a checkpoint...
Big tobacco’s role in vaping inquiry leaves TSANZ fuming
The TSANZ is questioning why the tobacco industry has a seat at the table of a parliamentary inquiry into the use and marketing of e-cigarettes, claiming it's at odds with Australia's obligations to a WHO agreement. The thoracic society was due...
The TSANZ is questioning why the tobacco industry has a seat at the table of a parliamentary inquiry into the...
Closing in on targeted therapy for lung SCC
Australian researchers have discovered a better biomarker for identifying which patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma will respond to fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitors. The study using patient-derived xenografts in laboratory models of the disease, found high levels of FGFR1 in tumour RNA...
Australian researchers have discovered a better biomarker for identifying which patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma will respond to fibroblast...
Lung cancer still the #1 cause of cancer death
A report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare confirms that lung cancer remains Australia's leading cause of cancer deaths - with over 9,000 deaths from the disease anticipated in 2017. The report, Cancer in Australia 2017, said that...
A report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare confirms that lung cancer remains Australia's leading cause of cancer...
Reason for PBAC rejection of cancer medicines important for patients and doctors
More clarity around the reasons cancer medicines are rejected by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) would better inform discussions between clinicians and their patients, a medical oncologist says. Dr Deme Karikios, who practices at the Nepean Hospital and is a...
More clarity around the reasons cancer medicines are rejected by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) would better inform discussions...
A new prognosis for lung cancer: Major advances in diagnostics and therapeutics
Historically, lung cancer is a disease with limited treatment options, late-diagnosis, and a limited spectrum of chemotherapies that have toxic side effects and a poor response rate, but there have been several exciting developments in recent years. In this latest...
Historically, lung cancer is a disease with limited treatment options, late-diagnosis, and a limited spectrum of chemotherapies that have toxic...
Desperate cancer patients prepared to pay for immunotherapy treatment
Cancer patients desperate to buy themselves more time are spending thousands of dollars to self-fund immunotherapy treatment even though there is little evidence to show it is likely to have a major benefit. A retrospective review describing outcomes and toxicity of...
Cancer patients desperate to buy themselves more time are spending thousands of dollars to self-fund immunotherapy treatment even though there...
Lung cancer stigma is costing lives
Stigma associated with lung cancer as a ‘smokers’ disease’ is costing lives through inadequate detection of early disease, deficiencies in care and lack of research, according to the Lung Foundation Australia. Launching a ‘call to action’ to improve lung cancer outcomes,...
Stigma associated with lung cancer as a ‘smokers’ disease’ is costing lives through inadequate detection of early disease, deficiencies in...
GPs unlikely to pick up certain cancers right away because its not the most likely diagnosis
Diagnosing cancer early is important for improving the chances of long-term survival from the disease. Perceived delays in cancer diagnosis are a common cause of distress for patients and their families – and a frequent source of legal complaints. Most patients...
Diagnosing cancer early is important for improving the chances of long-term survival from the disease. Perceived delays in cancer diagnosis...
Better end-of-life communication needed in advanced cancer
Improving doctor-patient communication in patients with advanced cancer could reduce overly aggressive treatment near the end of life, experts say. Writing in this week's JAMA Oncology Dr Jeffrey D. Robinson from the Portland State University, Portland, Oregon and colleagues...
Improving doctor-patient communication in patients with advanced cancer could reduce overly aggressive treatment near the end of life, experts say. ...
Low-dose CT acceptable for monitoring asbestos related disease
Ultra-low dose CT appears to effectively describe asbestos-related pleural and parenchymal changes and diseases, Australian researchers have concluded. However the findings do not yet support the screening of all people who have been exposed to asbestos, said the authors led by...
Ultra-low dose CT appears to effectively describe asbestos-related pleural and parenchymal changes and diseases, Australian researchers have concluded. However the findings...
450,000 Australians may benefit from lung cancer screening
Some 450,000 Australians may be eligible for lung cancer screening – but researchers say there is a long way to go before a national screening program becomes a reality. In a study published in this week’s Medical Journal of Australia,...
Some 450,000 Australians may be eligible for lung cancer screening – but researchers say there is a long way to...
Vigilance needed as asbestos related disease patterns change
The changing patterns of asbestos-related diseases mean clinicians must be vigilant about taking exposure histories from their patients, experts advise. Writing in an editorial published in this week’s MJA Professor Bill Musk a respiratory physician from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital...
The changing patterns of asbestos-related diseases mean clinicians must be vigilant about taking exposure histories from their patients, experts advise. Writing...
Australia lags behind in lung cancer screening
The implementation of a targeted lung cancer screening program in Australia is being hampered by a lack of “vital information,” experts say in this week’s MJA. Writing in an editorial titled Lung cancer screening in Australia: Progress or procrastination? Dr...
The implementation of a targeted lung cancer screening program in Australia is being hampered by a lack of “vital information,”...
So many cancer “breakthroughs”
The use of superlatives to describe cancer drugs in news articles as "breakthrough," "revolutionary," "miracle" is common even when drugs have not shown survival benefits or been approved, a study shows. Haematologist-oncologist Dr Vinay Prasad from the Oregon Health &...
The use of superlatives to describe cancer drugs in news articles as "breakthrough," "revolutionary," "miracle" is common even when drugs...
Govt says no to lung cancer screening program
An Australian lung cancer screening program has been rejected by the Government because of unresolved issues and questions around cost. In a position statement the Standing Committee on Screening said there was some evidence to support annual screening for people...
An Australian lung cancer screening program has been rejected by the Government because of unresolved issues and questions around cost. In...
Lung cancer number one cause of death in older women
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged 65-74, the latest data on deaths in Australia shows. The statistics from the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare ranked COPD as the fourth cause of death for women in the...
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged 65-74, the latest data on deaths in Australia shows. The...
Champix not linked to suicidal behaviour: study
Concerns that the tobacco quitting drug varenicline (Champix) is associated with an increased risk of suicidality and accidents have not been supported by a large observational study. Researchers from Sweden and Oxford in the...
Concerns that the tobacco quitting drug varenicline (Champix) is associated with an increased risk of suicidality and accidents...
Statins reduce lung cancer death
Patients with lung cancer have a lower risk of death if they are taking statins, findings from an observational study suggest. The study of 14 689 patients with lung cancer who had more than 12 prescriptions...
Patients with lung cancer have a lower risk of death if they are taking statins, findings from an observational...
Clinical controversies addressed in oxygen guidelines
Updated guidelines on the use of oxygen in the home address clinical controversies such as oxygen prescription to smokers, provision of oxygen on discharge from hospital, and the use of palliative oxygen. Published in Thorax this week the guidelines from...
Updated guidelines on the use of oxygen in the home address clinical controversies such as oxygen prescription to smokers, provision...
Asbestos time bomb in Asia
Asia is on track for a tsunami of asbestos diseases, warns a team of respiratory and asbestosis experts. In an invited review in Respirology the team which included Bruce Robinson from the National...
Asia is on track for a tsunami of asbestos diseases, warns a team of respiratory...
Respiratory physicians at the centre of lung cancer teams
Respiratory physicians play a pivotal role in lung cancer multidisciplinary teams, say Australian and UK clinicians, although there's no evidence to prove it. Writing in an invited review series on lung cancer practice, implementing evidence around the world,...
Respiratory physicians play a pivotal role in lung cancer multidisciplinary teams, say Australian and UK clinicians, although there's no...
Strong evidence biofuel causes lung cancer
Exposure to biofuel doubles the risk of lung cancer in women, finds a systematic review that provided risk estimates for the 2010 Global Burden of Disease study. The analysis...
Exposure to biofuel doubles the risk of lung cancer in women, finds a ...
Happy 50th anniversary to cisplatin
This year marks the 50th anniversary of cisplatin’s accidental discovery as an anti-cancer drug. Despite its horrible side effects, and the ability of cancers to become resistant to it, the drug remains as relevant now as it was...
This year marks the 50th anniversary of cisplatin’s accidental discovery as an anti-cancer drug. Despite its horrible side...
Smoking: new Australian data to die (or live) for
A new study of deaths from all causes in New South Wales published today in BMC Medicine reports both some very bad and very good news about smoking. Up until now, Australian estimates of the death and disease risks of smoking...
A new study of deaths from all causes in New South Wales published today in BMC Medicine reports both some...
Metastatic NSCLC an ideal benchmark for end-of-life-care
People with metastatic NSCLC have a poor prognosis, making the disease an ideal benchmark to measure the quality of end-of-life care, palliative care experts say. The overview of care for over 6,000 patients with metastatic NSCLC in Victoria found that...
People with metastatic NSCLC have a poor prognosis, making the disease an ideal benchmark to measure the quality of end-of-life...