A lung cancer research project in Lleida detects 14 tumours, 90% of which can be cured thanks to early diagnosis

The Lleida Pneumology Service today presented the first results of a research project on lung cancer in La Granadella, which reveals the importance of early diagnosis as a determining factor in its cure. According to the data from the study, of the 169 patients diagnosed in Lleida in the last 18 months, more than 50% had advanced disease and only 14% who were at an early stage of the disease were able to undergo curative surgical treatment. During the same period, the Pneumology Service research project screened 200 people at high risk of lung cancer (regular smokers with emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and identified 14 tumours, 90% of which will be able to undergo curative treatment thanks to early diagnosis.

The researcher from the Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine group at IRBLleida and specialist physician at the Lleida Pneumology Department and leader of the project, Jessica González, said that 'these data show that lung cancer can be cured if diagnosed in its early stages'. According to González, lung cancer is the second leading cause of death in Catalonia. Practically more people die from lung cancer than from breast and colorectal cancer combined. These chilling figures can be explained by the fact that when lung cancer is diagnosed as a symptom of a woman's lung cancer, it already has symptoms in the early stages,' she says.

The details of this research were presented at a conference in Granadella, one of the areas most involved in carrying out the study. Dr. Pere Farré, a family doctor in Granadella, was the moderator of the round tables, which were also attended by patients and several specialists in Pneumology from Lleida, who discussed lung cancer, its diagnosis and treatment, and the immediate future. The Pneumology Service's research project has its own budget and does not form part of the Catalan Health Service's portfolio of services.