The American Lung Association recently announced a new campaign dedicated to combating lung cancer rates using biomarker testing education.
Known as the Biomarker, Education, Awareness, and Testing Lung Cancer Initiative, otherwise known as BEAT, the program advocates for more access to biomarker testing. Through the test, healthcare professionals examine tumors for DNA or proteins such as PD-L1, which can help them predict whether the patient would benefit from immunotherapy.
The initiative will target increased biomarker testing in communities that face disparities when trying to receive one. According to their own study, amongst 33 Black Americans who survived from lung cancer, approximately 25% said they weren’t administered a biomarker test. Overall, only 14% of Black patients are given the chance to get tested through the biomarker test compared to 26% of white patients.
“Unfortunately, only about 4.5% of people eligible have been screened for lung cancer and a recent study found that 23% of people diagnosed with lung cancer received chemo and radiation therapy before they had received full biomarker testing, leading to potentially unnecessary treatment and time lost,” said the CEO of the association, Harold Wimmer, per a press release. “This campaign will focus on increasing these numbers and improving the lives of people living with lung cancer, with a focus on the communities most impacted.”
Through the initiative, members of the American Lung Association are advocating for more education and awareness about lung cancer in Black communities.
Black Americans are amongst those most affected by this type of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, they already record a higher incidence rate by 6%.
The higher incidence rate is exacerbated by professionals failing to catch the cancer in its early stages. According to the American Lung Association, only 23% of Black patients with lung cancer are diagnosed in the early stages, meaning they are 15% less likely to receive a diagnosis before the cancer grows.
They were also 19% less likely to receive surgery to remove any tumors and 11% more likely to go untreated for their lung cancer.
Once diagnosed, Black patients are more likely to have fatal cases. Overall, they were 16% less likely to live past the five-year survival mark.
“Close to two-thirds of the 28 million uninsured people living in America are people of color, and research is clear that having health coverage impacts people’s medical care and ultimately their health outcomes,” said researchers from the American Lung Association. “Addressing racial disparities in healthcare coverage is critical to addressing racial disparities in lung cancer care.”
