Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2017

The CHEST Australia Trial: a Phase II randomised controlled trial of an intervention to reduce time to consult with symptoms of lung cancer. (#162)

Jon Emery 1 , Sonya Murray 2 , Neil Campbell 3 , Fiiona M Walter 4 , Danielle Mazza 5 , Emily Habgood 1 , Yvonne Kutzer 2 , Andrew Martin 6 , Stephen Goodall 7 , David Barnes 8 , Peter Murchie 3
  1. Department of General Practice and Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia
  2. General Practice, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA
  3. Department of General Practice, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
  4. Department of Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
  5. Department of General Practice, Monash University, Melbourne
  6. NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  7. Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation , University of Technology Sydney, Sydney
  8. Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

Aims:

Approximately two thirds of patients with lung cancer are diagnosed when curative treatment is not possible, due mainly to late stage at presentation to healthcare. International research has focused either on CT screening or community symptom awareness interventions to detect lung cancer earlier. We aimed to test the effect of an individual-level behavioural intervention on consultation rates for respiratory symptoms in people at increased risk of lung cancer.

Methods:

The CHEST intervention entailed a consultation in general practice to implement a self-help manual, followed by self-monitoring reminders to improve symptom appraisal and encourage help-seeking in patients at increased risk of lung cancer. Eligible participants were long-term smokers with at least 20 pack years, aged 55 and over identified through electronic GP records. They were randomised to the CHEST Intervention plus spirometry or usual care plus spirometry. Primary outcome: consultation rate for respiratory symptoms; secondary outcomes: time to presentation with respiratory symptoms, general and cancer-specific anxiety, depression, views of health and health service utilisation.

Results:

We recruited 551 patients (accrual target 550) and the primary outcome obtained on 542. There was a significant increase in respiratory consultation rates in the intervention group (relative rate 1.39 95% CI 1.07 to 1.81 p=0.0145). There were no significant differences in anxiety, depression, views of health or time to first presentation with a respiratory symptom (intervention vs control mean days: 66.4 vs 75.7; HR 0.827 95% CI 0.640 – 1.069 p=0.147). The health economic analyses will be completed by October 2017.

Conclusion:

This is the first trial to show a positive effect on help-seeking for symptoms of lung cancer in patients at increased risk of the condition. It could be a low-cost approach to support early diagnosis of lung cancer especially in people who do not meet risk criteria for lung CT screening.   

  1. Murray SR, Murchie P, Campbell N, Walter FM, Mazza D, Habgood E, KutzerY, Martin A, Goodall S, Barnes DJ, Emery JD. (2015). Protocol for the CHEST Australia Trial: a phase II randomised controlled trial of an intervention to reduce time-to-consult with symptoms of lung cancer. BMJ Open. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008046