For Immediate Release
October 26, 2006

 BUFFALO, NY – Surveillance for lung cancer may have taken a step forward with the identification of a potential biomarker for the disease. The study (abstract # 4192) was presented by Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) researchers led by Gregory Loewen, DO, Department of Medicine, RPCI, at the 72nd Annual International Scientific Assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), October 21-26 in Salt Lake City, UT.

Dr. Loewen, along with RPCI researchers Vijayvel Jayaprakash, Ravi Menezes, Machare Delgado and Mary Reid, PhD, offered the abstract, “Spirometric Surveillance for Intraepithelial Neoplasia.”

Dr. Loewen reported that air flow obstruction determined by spirometry which measures air flow and volume, may predict pre-malignant lung lesions. In a retrospective analysis, he and colleagues at Roswell Park evaluated laboratory findings of 269 high risk patients who were first tested with spirometry and then underwent biopsies using autofluoresence bronchoscopy. In total, 61 biopsy results were normal, 85 biopsies confirmed the presence of premalignancy and 123 were confirmed either to have early “carcinoma in-situ” or frank invasive central lung cancer. Therefore, researchers concluded that spirometry may be a potential predictor of pre-malignant lung lesions and a biomarker for lung cancer surveillance if it is followed by autofluorescence bronchoscopy.

According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in both men and women. More than 172,470 cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2006 and 162,460 will die from the disease.       

The American College of Chest Physicians is a not-for-profit medical society representing 16,500 members in over 100 countries. Members include specialty physicians, allied health professionals and PhDs who focus on diseases of the chest. The mission of ACCP is to promote the prevention and treatment of diseases of the chest through leadership, education, research and communication.

 Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center headquartered in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. Roswell Park has affiliate sites and collaborative programs throughout New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and China. For more information, visit RPCI's website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

 

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