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David D Odell



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    PD01 - Poster Discussion Session (ID 4)

    • Event: NACLC 2019
    • Type: Poster Discussion Session
    • Track:
    • Presentations: 1
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      PD01.20 - Lung Cancer Strategist Program: A Novel Care Delivery Model to Improve Timeliness of Diagnosis and Treatment (ID 103)

      15:45 - 16:45  |  Author(s): David D Odell

      • Abstract

      Background:
      The diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer is challenged by complex diagnostic pathways and fragmented care, further magnifying outcome disparities in vulnerable patients.


      Method:
      In this prospective cohort study, patients at “high-risk for treatment delay” with an undifferentiated suspicious lung finding were referred to the Lung Cancer Strategist Program (LCSP) – a thoracic surgeon-guided, multi-disciplinary care program. Efficiency of diagnostic work-up, time from suspicious finding to diagnosis, and time from suspicious finding to treatment were compared with patients at "high-risk for treatment delay" referred via usual pathways.


      Results:
      From 2014 to 2016, among 218 patients (106 LCSP, 112 control), 26 patients in the LCSP cohort and 76 control patients received treatment for lung cancer. Compared to controls, patients with lung cancer in the LCSP cohort had fewer clinic visits (3 vs 6, p = < 0.001), diagnostic studies (4 vs 5, p = 0.039), and clinicians seen (1 vs 2, p = 0.031) with an expedited time from suspicious finding to diagnosis (34 vs 44 days, p = 0.027) and treatment (40 vs 67.5 days, p = 0.022). For those nodules managed via surveillance, the work-up and definitive management plan from initial suspicious finding in the LCSP cohort was only 3 days (vs 38.5 days, p = <0.001) and 12 days (vs 42 days, p = <0.001), respectively.


      Conclusion:
      Referral to a thoracic surgeon-guided, multidisciplinary care team allows rapid assessment of benign versus malignant lesion with reduced time to diagnosis and treatment even in patients at high risk for treatment delay.