Prevention and Early Detection for NSCLC: Advances in Thoracic Oncology 2018

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Tobacco consumption remains the most important risk factor. Although the prevalence of smoking has decreased overall, it continues to be a significant burden for global health. It is estimated that there are still nearly 1 billion cigarette smokers worldwide. Prevention strategies have largely focused on tobacco control and prevention. However, we have witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of e-cigarettes and other vaping products. Primary chemoprevention has historically not been a successful strategy for lung cancer; however, focused approaches in specific groups of patients at high risk for development of lung cancer are underway. The majority of cases with NSCLC are diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic disease, where the overall prognosis remains very poor. Early-stage NSCLC on the other hand has a much better prognosis and can usually be treated radically with either surgical resection or radical radiotherapy, with relatively favorable long-term outcomes. In addition to image-based screening, other methods such as breath-based and biofluid-based approaches are now being investigated for early detection of NSCLC. This review will focus on recent advancements in the field of prevention, screening, and early detection of NSCLC.