DISC Laboratory
Advancing Precision Lung Cancer Surveillance and Outcomes in Underserved Populations (PLuS2)
Contact PI/ Project Leader: Dr. Dejana Braithwaite
Project Overview
Lung cancer surveillance enables the detection of new or recurrent disease in patients who received curative treatment. Current surveillance guidelines recommend semiannual computed tomography (CT) imaging for two years after treatment and annual CT imaging thereafter. Uptake of these guidelines is rapidly increasing in the U.S., seemingly representing a public health victory. However, the reality is more complicated; to date, there is no evidence that CT surveillance in patients with early-stage lung cancer improves survival. It is therefore unclear whether current imaging surveillance recommendations are benefitting patients or causing exposure to unnecessary risks. There are no comprehensive lung cancer surveillance data sources that catalog real-world lung cancer surveillance utilization patterns and downstream outcomes, both of which are necessary to develop evidence-based recommendations for surveillance following curative-intent therapy. In this project, Advancing Precision Lung Cancer Surveillance and Outcomes in Underserved Populations (PLuS2), we are creating this unique data source to study, understand, and optimize lung cancer surveillance and downstream outcomes.
Building on the extant infrastructure and preliminary data from the lung cancer screening registry of the PCORI- and NCI-funded OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Consortium — a network of community practices that serve Florida, Georgia, and Alabama — PLUS2 leverages multilevel data from electronic health records, claims, and system-level factors for patients with early-stage lung cancer who have completed curative-intent therapy. This resource will allow us to answer critical research gaps about lung cancer surveillance in the U.S.:
- Are most patients participating in routine CT imaging surveillance or only receiving imaging when symptomatic?
- Are there disparities in adherence to CT imaging guidelines in different racial, age, and socioeconomic groups?
- What is the optimal frequency of CT surveillance?
PLuS2 responds directly to calls to improve patient-centered decision-making in lung cancer surveillance candidates for whom the net benefits of surveillance are currently uncertain. This study is foundational for lung cancer surveillance practice change.
Contact PI/ Project Leader:
- Dr. Dejana Braithwaite
Co-PIs
- Dr. Michael K. Gould
- Dr. Yi Guo
- Dr. Jihyoun Jeon