Scientists find link between thoracic surgical investment and UK lung cancer resection rate

Scientists have found a link between increased investment in thoracic surgical expertise and the rate of lung cancer resection.

Figures presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, which was hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), showed that there is a significant rise in the resection rate when more time and money is given to pure thoracic surgeons.

In 2008, 31 units provided the surgery to 174 trusts around England, with 42 per cent having two or more pure thoracic surgeons, with this figure growing to 58 per cent in 2009.

It was reported that there were 15,774 cases of non-small cell lung cancer in 2008, with 14.2 per cent undergoing surgical resection. In 2009 the overall resection rate increased by nearly 50 per cent to 20.7 per cent of cases.

The 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer runs between July 3rd and 7th with the IASLC having been formed in 1972.