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Key Messages

These are some of the ways Silstar Foundation has supported financially and raised awareness to the importance of early detection in Lung Cancer Diagnosis. 

GENERAL

  • The number of people being diagnosed with cancer is rising in Canada and globally.
  • Two in five Canadians can expect to receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes; that will only increase as our population ages.
  • While we need to do more to prevent cancer from developing in the first place, we also need to catch it earlier.

IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DETECTION

  • Fortunately, The Princess Margaret has taken on the challenge of developing innovative, early detection technologies. In fact, early detection is one of our four main research pillars.
  • Dr. Raymond Kim is Director, Cancer Early Detection at the Bhalwani Familial Cancer Clinic, Princess Margaret Hospital.
  • We need to stop cancer in its tracks before symptoms present.
  • Early detection research has largely been supported by philanthropy.

IMPACT OF EARLY DETECTION

  • Advanced cancers are nearly impossible to cure.
  • By catching cancer early, we have a better chance of saving lives.
  • Research shows that early detection increases the cure rate from five to ten-fold for some cancers.
  • It can also help patients avoid toxic chemotherapies and high- dose radiation, both of which can lead to harsh side effects.

EXAMPLES OF EARLY DETECTION

  • The Princess Margaret is at the forefront of new methods to find the disease sooner than ever before, sometimes before symptoms even appear.
  • Our team of experts has created a mathematical model that predicts brain metastases.
  • We are particularly excited and motivated with the great progress made with CHARM, an international study, they are establishing a non- invasive blood test called a liquid biopsy test to detect tumours in patients with hereditary cancers. The test will help detect developing cancer early in all at-risk organs and trigger personalized clinical follow-ups to better monitor patients in need.
  • The Princess Margaret is also a leader in hereditary cancer genetic testing with initiatives such as UNIFY, a first-in-Canada program offering free genetic testing to every patient with breast cancer at the Cancer Centre.
  • Such testing can show whether a patient’s cancer has been caused by close to 70 genetic mutations, including BRCA 1 and 2. These genes were made famous by actress Angelina Jolie, a BRCA1 mutation carrier, when she shared her decision to have a preventative double mastectomy to reduce her risk of developing breast cancer.
  • Genetic information not only provides valuable insights to an individual patient, but can also have a broader, life-saving impact for their family. It can help identify at-risk relatives, providing children, siblings, and parents with an opportunity to understand their own cancer risk and management options – such as active surveillance to catch the cancer as early as possible.
  • Importantly, what our experts learn from hereditary cancers and early detection can have applications for other cancers at all stages, saving lives and keeping families together.
  • These insights are helping us to achieve our vision of conquering cancer in our lifetime, one breakthrough at a time.

Learn how Princess Margaret Hospital is transforming care for patients with lung cancer by visiting www.thePMCF.ca for more information