[ad_1]
Lung cancer ranks first in the unpopular Italian ranking of the most lethal type of cancer (in 2017 caused more than 33,000 deaths) and the third among the most prevalent (41,800 new cases diagnosed with cancer). ;last year). It would be a rare disease if you do not smoke: about 85% of people affected by this pathology or a smoker, nevertheless nearly 12 million Italians (mostly women) or 20% of the population, continue to light a cigarette every day. And, in the vast majority of cases, it is still discovered today when it is at an advanced stage, with extensive metastasis to other organs. This is why it is so difficult to heal and remains, despite the progress made in therapies, killer: only 16% of patients, in fact, are still living five years after the discovery of the disease. For this reason, researchers all over the world have been looking for a way to find out when it started, when the chances of defeating it would be better. SMAC, a free screening project for smokers and ex-smokers developed by Giulia Veronesi, head of the Humanitas robotic surgery section, aims to diagnose pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases more rapidly and prevent related diseases. smoking.
Here are the most tried and tested methods to stop smoking
All the damage of smoking, tumors to impotence
What is the SMAC Project
SMAC (Smokers health Multiple Actions, Acronym for Multiple Actions for Smoker's Health), a project that provides a low-dose thoracic TAC badociated with intense anti-smoking activity, and addresses to people at high risk of tobacco exposure . The first participants are scheduled for September this year – explains Giulia Veronesi -. Through screening, we can find tumors before they give symptoms of their presence, in a phase where they are operable in 80% of cases. Currently, most patients come to diagnosis when symptoms appear, so with the disease already advanced and fewer opportunities for healing. In addition, thanks to screening, it is now possible to identify very small tumors, which can be treated by minimally invasive robotic and personalized surgery, saving most healthy lungs, with rapid functional recovery and early discharge. . In the United States, screening has already been standard since 2012, following international recommendations based on studies showing a reduction in the mortality of the screened population relative to controls. Our goal is to involve the institutions so that lung screening is also included in the measures of the Italian National Health Policy through this pilot study developed with the ATS of the Milan Metropolitan Area and the doctors of family.
Cancer, Cardio-vascular and Respiratory Diseases
The option of providing "on the carpet" controls on the healthy population (but with a high risk of lung cancer) through spiral Tac which has been studied in our country for some time. SMAC does not provide a single focus on lung cancer. Smoking among the scientifically certain causes of 25 different diseases, including many types of cancer – reminds Veronesi -. But tobacco also has many cases (and deaths) for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. This is why SMAC plans the execution of certain tests, including calcium and coronary spirometry CT, for the detection of cardiovascular risk and the early diagnosis of emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD). The study (which will be active from 1 September 2018 for 3 years) address smokers over 30 years of age or former smokers over 55 years of age who have not completed a TAC at low dose in the last 18 months.
Smoking and Smoking: 10 Things You May Not Know About
Light Cigarettes Are Less Harmful
Innovation in Screening: Not Just Lung Cancer
Smoking is the # 1. a major risk factor for heart attack or atherosclerosis. The low-dose TAC of the chest calculates the degree of calcification of the coronary arteries, which is directly proportional to the risk of heart attack or stenosis of the coronary arteries. With screening, we can then badess the cardiovascular risk of the participants in the program and, if necessary, direct it towards cardiological controls for the prevention or the evolution of lifestyles and / or preventive treatments (statins), explains Gianluigi Condorelli, Director of Cardiovascular Department at Humanitas and lecturer at Humanitas University. In addition, with the determination in the blood of certain proteins related to inflammation and spirometry, which badesses the functioning of the lung, as well as data on the presence or the absence of images of Emphysema shown by the TAC, we can badess the presence of COPD and anticipate treatment reducing chronic disability adds Francesca Puggioni, pneumologist of the Asthma Center and Allergy Custom Humanitas.
Benefits for Participants and How to Join
The benefit for participants is a free check of the health of the lungs and heart, including badessment of the early signs of lung cancer and the quantification of cardiovascular risk and bronchopneumonia chronic obstructive disease (COPD) using parameters obtained from the TAC. In addition, access to a customized intensive anti-smoking program is being considered. The study does not in any way endanger health, because the dose of ionizing radiation related to the very low tests provided Veronesi precise.
Participants in the screening program, after the signing of informed consent, perform: a special questionnaire, an interview on lifestyles and prevention (smoking, nutrition, physical activity and personalized program), a low-dose scanner without contrast. blood sampling and spirometry. For participants were waiting for a commitment of about two hours once a year at Humanitas Hospital in Rozzano. You can participate through your family doctor by calling 02 82247371 or sending an email to [email protected].
A project, 4 goals, many supporters
The objectives of SMAC are fundamentally four: first, implement the program of prevention and early detection of lung cancer; second, prevent cardiovascular disease and COPD related to smoking; third, support an active smoking cessation program; fourth, validate a panel of early diagnosis molecular markers and launch a radiomic program (advanced digital image badysis of the TAC). Smokers will be referred to the Humanitas Anti-Smoking Center, where they will have meetings for psychological support and pharmacological treatment to stop smoking. Even if we can not exclude from the project those who simply can not stop, each year, the SMAC project will try to direct the most addicted subjects of the cigarette towards the Center, explains Licia Siracusano, director of the Center. Finally, a very promising aspect of the research will be to exploit artificial intelligence for the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules. We planned to instruct a supercomputer with Tac Screening images so that in the future the computer will perform the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lung nodules, avoiding biopsies and invasive procedures for patients concludes Arturo Chiti, head of Humanitas Nuclear Medicine and Professor of Humanitas University. SMAC carried out with the support of Humanitas Cancer Center, Humanitas University, Ministry of Health, AIRC, ATS Milan Metropolitan Citt, General Practitioners, LILT and Umberto Veronesi Foundation
3 July 2018 (Amendment 3 July 2018 | 14: 13) [19659017] © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
[ad_2]
Source link
