Virtual Library

Start Your Search

K. Vedhara



Author of

  • +

    MA 18 - Global Tobacco Control and Epidemiology II (ID 676)

    • Event: WCLC 2017
    • Type: Mini Oral
    • Track: Epidemiology/Primary Prevention/Tobacco Control and Cessation
    • Presentations: 1
    • +

      MA 18.04 - Changes in Smoking Behaviour in the Early Cancer Detection Test Lung Cancer Scotland (ECLS) Study (ID 8539)

      15:45 - 17:30  |  Author(s): K. Vedhara

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background:
      Lung cancer screening might be a ‘teachable moment’ for smoking cessation or conversely could provide a ‘license to smoke’. Such effects should be considered in the overall benefits and harms of screening. Existing evidence of the impact of screening on smoking is mixed.

      Method:
      A randomised controlled trial of a blood autoantibody test (EarlyCDT-Lung) for the early detection of lung cancer was conducted in 12,210 smokers and ex-smokers in Scotland, UK. The test allowed risk stratification for targeting of a chest X-ray and repeat CT scans. Sub-samples of positive test (n = 321), negative test (n = 361) and control (n = 350) participants completed questionnaires before screening, after receipt of blood test results and at 3, 6 and 12 months post-screening. They self-reported smoking point prevalence, attempts to quit, number of cigarettes smoked per day and the Heaviness of Smoking Index. Multi-level regression analyses, adjusted for confounders, explored differences in smoking over time between screened and control arms and between positive test, negative test and control groups.

      Result:
      Preliminary results show no statistically significant differences in smoking prevalence between the screened and control arms over time. There was a reduction in smoking prevalence of borderline statistical significance in the positive test group versus controls across all time points (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.21-1.03). This difference reduced when assuming non-responding smokers were still smoking (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.25-1.19). Significantly more smokers in the positive test group had recently attempted to stop smoking at 3 months compared to controls (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.04-5.04). Positive test group smokers were significantly less likely to report smoking 20 or more cigarettes a day than controls across all time points (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.14-0.69). Negative test group smokers were more likely to score moderate/high/very high on the Heaviness of Smoking Index compared to controls at 6 months. This difference was statistically significant before adjusting for confounders but the adjusted model was no longer significant (OR 2.51, 95% CI 0.90-6.97).

      Conclusion:
      There was no effect of lung cancer screening on smoking prevalence. The findings indicate a positive test result can be a teachable moment for smoking cessation. They also highlight the short term risk of heavier smoking after a negative test result. This is an important area for further research to ensure negative lung cancer screening test results do not inadvertently promote continued and heavier smoking.

      Only Members that have purchased this event or have registered via an access code will be able to view this content. To view this presentation, please login, select "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout. If you would like to become a member of IASLC, please click here.

      Only Active Members that have purchased this event or have registered via an access code will be able to view this content. To view this presentation, please login or select "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout.

  • +

    OA 06 - Global Tobacco Control and Epidemiology I (ID 662)

    • Event: WCLC 2017
    • Type: Oral
    • Track: Epidemiology/Primary Prevention/Tobacco Control and Cessation
    • Presentations: 1
    • +

      OA 06.08 - Is Lung Cancer Screening Associated with a Negative Psychological Impact? (ID 9879)

      15:45 - 17:30  |  Author(s): K. Vedhara

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background:
      Lung cancer screening can reduce lung cancer mortality by 20%. It is currently recommended in the USA, but not in the UK and ensuring any potential psychological harm is minimised is important. Current evidence is limited to the psychological impact of CT lung cancer screening. This study assesses psychological responses in the Early Cancer Detection Test - Lung Cancer Scotland Study (ECLS Study), whose participants have a tumour antibody blood test (Early CDT®-Lung test) and CT scans only for those with positive blood tests.

      Method:
      ECLS study participants were randomised to an Early CDT®-Lung test group or a control group. A sample (n=1032) participated in a nested psychological outcomes study. Questionnaires measured psychological responses (positive and negative affect scale (PANAS), lung cancer worry scale (LCWS) and impact of events scale (IES)) at baseline and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-trial recruitment. Psychological responses over time were assessed using multilevel modelling and compared between those in the control group, the test-positive group and the test‑negative group.

      Result:
      In total, 350, 361 and 321 participants were in the control, test-negative and test-positive groups respectively. Follow-up questionnaire completion rates were ≥90% at all time-points. Baseline psychological measures did not differ significantly between groups. Significant differences were found between PANAS scores, but absolute differences between the groups were very small and unlikely to be clinically significant. The IES avoidance and intrusion scores were significantly higher in the positive than the negative group at all time-points and at 1, 3 and 6 months respectively. However, median scores for both subscales at all the time-points were in the subclinical range. Anxiety about future tests and treatment at 1 month was significantly higher in the test-positive group than the control (OR (95%CI) 3.55 (1.70, 7.41)), or the negative group (OR (95%CI) 5.74 (2.69, 12.2)). Worry about getting lung cancer in the future was significantly higher in the test-positive than the test-negative group at 1 month (OR (95%CI) 2.61 (1.35, 5.02)), 3 months (OR (95%CI) 2.52 (1.30, 4.87)) and 6 months ((OR (95%CI) 2.98 (1.53, 5.82)).

      Conclusion:
      Lung cancer screening using a blood test followed by CT scanning for test-positive individuals does not appear to impact on affect, intrusive thoughts or avoidant behaviour to a clinically important degree. However, anxiety about future tests and treatment and future worry about lung cancer needs to be addressed if lung cancer screening is implemented in the UK.

      Only Members that have purchased this event or have registered via an access code will be able to view this content. To view this presentation, please login, select "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout. If you would like to become a member of IASLC, please click here.

      Only Active Members that have purchased this event or have registered via an access code will be able to view this content. To view this presentation, please login or select "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout.

  • +

    P3.06 - Epidemiology/Primary Prevention/Tobacco Control and Cessation (ID 722)

    • Event: WCLC 2017
    • Type: Poster Session with Presenters Present
    • Track: Epidemiology/Primary Prevention/Tobacco Control and Cessation
    • Presentations: 1
    • +

      P3.06-009 - How Does Screening for the Early Detection of Lung Cancer Facilitate Smoking Cessation? A Qualitative Study of Screened Smokers (ID 9871)

      09:30 - 16:00  |  Author(s): K. Vedhara

      • Abstract
      • Slides

      Background:
      There is little evidence that lung cancer screening prompts smoking cessation in screened populations overall. However, a more complex relationship is emerging where abnormal screening results appear to promote abstinence and those smokers who attend screening seem more motivated to stop smoking than those who do not. There is a need to understand how screening programmes can best facilitate reductions in smoking prevalence in screening populations. We aimed to investigate in the context of lung cancer screening i) facilitators to smoking cessation and continued abstinence and ii) attitudes to cessation support.

      Method:
      A qualitative sub-study to the Early Cancer detection test Lung cancer Scotland (ECLS) trial was conducted. We examined responses to ECLS questionnaires completed pre- and post-screening to sample smokers who had made a successful attempt to stop smoking, an unsuccessful attempt to stop or no attempt to stop since screening. Participants with positive and negative screening test results were sampled. Thirty-one in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted to investigate wider experiences of smoking in the screening context. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. We present here a subset of data relating to the specific aims above.

      Result:
      Participants reported receiving a 'fright' from positive test results and reassurance from negative results, both facilitating smoking cessation. Test results were seen as objective health feedback which could not be ignored. Recipients of positive test results were further motivated to remain abstinent by the prospect of future study-related CT scans. There was evidence that some had participated in screening with the intention of stopping smoking. Screening factors often acted in combination with other facilitators, including increasing smoking stigma, and life-stage changes such as becoming a grandparent. Attitudes to cessation support combined with a screening programme were mixed. Some felt they would be deterred from attending screening if they thought they would be targeted with cessation messages. Others were open to the idea of cessation support but doubted whether it could offer cessation strategies they had not already tried.

      Conclusion:
      Smoking cessation support targeted at lung cancer screening groups should take into account ways that test results can facilitate cessation attempts, and the contributing social and life stage factors of older smokers. Some smokers eligible for screening may be deterred by the prospect of associated cessation interventions. Others who want to quit may have exhausted available cessation strategies and may be seeking something novel to help them quit.

      Only Active Members that have purchased this event or have registered via an access code will be able to view this content. To view this presentation, please login or select "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout.