PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA, April 18 (BNP): The National Comprehensive Cancer Network NCCN Oncology Research Program (ORP) announced funding recipients for quality improvement initiatives in lung cancer screening. The NCCN ORP will oversee these projects, with funding provided through Merck.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths regardless of gender. There were more than 225,000 new diagnoses estimated in the United States in 20251. However, lung cancer screening rates within the U.S. lag well behind other recommended cancer screening types.
The purpose of these projects is to improve the adherence to guideline-concordant screening recommendations, minimize disparities, and reduce barriers to effective and efficient use of this important cancer detection technique.
“NCCN has worked to standardize and simplify the criteria for who is eligible for lung cancer screening in order to catch more cancers earlier when they are the most treatable,” explained Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. “We know that appropriate screening saves lives. We also know that many eligible people are not undergoing screening according to current clinical guidelines. These projects will hopefully help us to expand access to optimal care to improve patient outcomes and enhance overall quality of life. We congratulate these researchers and look forward to seeing their work drive meaningful improvements in lung cancer screening rates.”
The selected projects are:
- Elizabeth Bouchard, MA, PhD, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Testing the Efficacy of an Innovative Social Network-based Intervention to Increase Access and Reduce Disparities in Lung Cancer Screening: The I CAN Intervention
- Debra L. Friedman, MD, MS, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
- Imaging for Timely Screening (LIFT)
- Katharine A. Rendle, PhD, MSW, MPH, Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania
- Bridging Communities and Clinics to Improve Lung Cancer Screening (BCCLCS)
- Ilana Richman, MD, MHS and Lynn Tanoue, MD, Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital
- A Multilevel Intervention to Support Retention in Annual Lung Cancer Screening
Proposals were peer reviewed by a Scientific Review Committee, which consisted of experts across a diverse group of specialties from NCCN Member Institutions. The selected projects are set to be completed within two years.
The NCCN ORP fosters innovation and knowledge discovery that improve the lives of people with cancer and supports preclinical, translational, and clinical research and quality improvement projects in oncology at NCCN Member Institutions. In an effort to improve collaboration in cancer research, the NCCN ORP also maintains a shared resources website, an informed consent database, and points to consider on the best practices for biorepositories, registries, and databases. For more information, visit NCCN.org/orp.
