ACCC Observes Lung Cancer Awareness Month Highlighting Small Cell Lung Cancer Education Programs

The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) recognizes November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month with a list of resources for the multi-disciplinary cancer care professionals treating lung cancer every day across the nation.

President Biden recently released a Proclamation on Lung Cancer Awareness Month, in honor of the progress that we have made, and to call upon us to collaborate to continue making progress against lung cancer. “During National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we are inspired by the courage and fight of the millions of patients, survivors, caregivers, doctors, researchers, and advocates battling this terrible disease,” said Biden.

ACCC has a comprehensive portfolio of education programs focused on lung cancer, including:

Biomarker Testing

Barriers to using biomarker testing are common; factors, such as insurance coverage, reimbursement, and insufficient protocols, are among the many issues working against widespread implementation of biomarker testing in cancer programs and practices. To help oncology professionals surmount these barriers and enhance their knowledge of biomarkers, ACCC has launched the second phase of its BiomarkerLIVE project to help cancer professionals better understand what is needed to facilitate the integration of precision medicine into everyday oncology practice. ACCC’s Biomarker Testing in Practice: Process Improvement Toolkit examines the four key elements needed to develop a successful precision medicine program, including biomarker testing.

Changing Care Patterns for Patients with Early-Stage NSCLC

ACCC is conducting a nationwide initiative across various care settings to provide guidance to multidisciplinary cancer care teams on key issues related to providing optimal care for patients with early stage IB/IIIA non-small cell lung cancer. A national survey was conducted in July 2022 to assess current practice patterns and challenges regarding care delivery and management of this patient population. In addition, a comprehensive quality guide, planned for release in 2023, will address the potential value of biomarker testing, identify gaps in coordination of care, and highlight effective practices to caring for patients with early stage IB/IIIA non-small cell lung cancer.

Fostering Excellence in Care and Outcomes for Patients with Stage III/IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

ACCC conducted a national, multi-phase effort to explore care coordination and communication within the multidisciplinary cancer care team. This effort uncovered barriers and developed process improvement plans for cancer programs to support care optimization for patients with Stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer. Six cancer programs from a variety of settings and locations across the United States participated in a six-month ACCC quality improvement (QI) initiative to uncover barriers and develop process improvement plans for cancer programs to support care optimization for patients with Stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer.

Rural Appalachian Lung Cancer Screening

The Rural Appalachian Lung Cancer Screening Initiative is a partnership between ACCC and the LUNGevity Foundation, a nonprofit committed to improving the lives and survivorship of lung cancer patients. The initiative seeks to increase lung cancer screening rates by identifying and addressing informational, literacy, and cultural barriers that inhibit rural Appalachian residents from seeking preventative cancer care. Partnering with local advocates, the initiative is focusing on developing and implementing new patient-centric approaches to promote the importance of these screenings.

View a comprehensive list of all ACCC projects dedicated to lung cancer available on the ACCC website.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the second-most common cancer detected in both men and women in the U.S. Lung cancer accounts for nearly 25 percent of all cancer deaths in this country. According to estimates by the American Cancer Society, 235,740 patients will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and 130,180 patients will die of the disease in 2022.