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Lung Cancer - Improved Diagnosis and Prognosis
Lung Cancer | Last Active: Mar 9, 2017 | Replies (14)Comment receiving replies
hi @alvinw. I can understand your frustration and am somewhat surprised that you haven't received a response. From my understanding, CANARY is still in the pilot phase and not yet universally available.
For anyone else reading this, here is more information about the testing Alvin is referring to:
http://mayocl.in/2e6Gz3v and audio http://mayocl.in/2eNUlvV
Alvin, as you may know, Mayo Clinic Connect is an online community where patients can share experiences and ask each other questions about any health issue. I wonder if @llwortman has further information about CANARY.
Replies to "hi @alvinw. I can understand your frustration and am somewhat surprised that you haven't received a..."
Personally I find it frustrating when medical breakthroughs are touted in the news only to discover that the new drug or device is only being tested on mice and that wide-spread use in humans is years away and likely not a solution for people dealing with the condition now. Media reports are usually not very clear about this.
In fact, in 2014 there was a study published called "The media and cancer: education or entertainment? An ethnographic study of European cancer journalists" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3998657/
As you mentioned, it was 2013 when the agreement was brokered with IMBIO. I'll do some further sleuthing, but initial internet searches return the same results you reported.
Colleen, I will look forward to any further light which you are able cast on this situation. As I understand it, CANARY does not involve a new drug or a novel surgical procedure, but rather the use of math (statistical analysis) to better categorize lesions that appear on CT scans of human lungs, so that a more refined diagnosis (and prognosis) is achieved. To accomplish this, as I understand it, the Mayo Clinic team applied their new technique to CT scans of human lungs and carried out follow-up work so that they could correlate their diagnosis/prognosis, as generated by CANARY, with actual outcomes over subsequent years. Therefore, I don't understand why commercialization of this technology (which consists of software), would need to undergo the various stages of testing, and the long periods of evaluation, that are required in the case of new drugs or invasive procedures, Thanks again. Alvin
Hi Alvin!
I just replied to your story! Thanks for sharing.
I just had my 9 year follow up exam and CT, with a new CT scanner!
In the last 9 years of my lung cancer journey as a survivor
The research and advancements have been amazing and mentally healing as well!
Please read my 1st reply to you. I think it will give you help & hope.
I can somewhat understand your questions. I can assure you Mayo Teams will give us the best quality of life...one day at a time, right!
My 9 years post lung cancer have been the best of my life!
I just summited Mt Kilimanjaro with a Mayo Research Team!
So continue to reach out! Let's stay connected and kick lung cancer out the door!
I commend your courage to share your questions and story.
Linda
Linda,
Your story is amazing and inspiring! My family and friends regard me as one who is emotionally very strong (I also survived prostate cancer 15 years ago, and afterwards counselled a number of other men who were facing similar challenges). However, no matter how emotionally balanced a person may be, there is no doubt that learning of the life experiences of people, such as yourself, is a tonic and means a great deal to those of us who are coping with a good deal of uncertainty. As I proceed along this journey, there are many things to think about (and think over). And certainly, among those things, I will be mindful of, and inspired by, the considerable challenges which confronted you and the way in which you have met and continue to meet them.
Thanks so much again for the gift of your good words!
Alvin
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Colleen, Thank you very much for the prompt and informative reply. To the extent that CANARY is still in the pilot phase, I'm curious about the nature and extent of the "piloting". For example, does this piloting involve a protocol whereby many institutions are testing out the CANARY software in a prescribed manner, so that the results from all of these participating institutions can then be aggregated and analyzed? If so, can we be made aware of which institutions are participating, and of the anticipated time frame for developing a marketable product? If, on the other hand, the pilot phase is purely software-oriented (e.g., consists of tightening up the existing software logic, and making it more user-friendly), then perhaps we just have to wait until we're notified that the software is ready for marketing. Any further insights in this regard, including anticipated (estimated) time frame to bring the product to market, would certainly be appreciated. In making this request, I'm assuming that IMBIO, as the firm which signed an agreement some time ago to commercialize this Mayo Clinic technology, has prepared and implemented a development plan.
Thanks again.