The University of Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Center and Research Institute has received a Quality Implementation of Lung Cancer Screening (QUILS) grant, which focuses on improving lung cancer screening rates in the state.
The initiative provides $1.8 million over four years to improve lung cancer screening efforts in a state that sorely needs it. According to the American Lung Association, Mississippi has some of the lowest screening rates and highest mortality rates for lung cancer in the U.S. Officials with UMMC think the grant initiative will have a significant impact on those numbers.
“Lung cancer claims the lives of over 1,800 Mississippians every year. Lung cancer screening is a proven tool to prevent these deaths by detecting cancer early, when it is easy to cure,” UMMC’s Dr. Pierre de Delva said. “The QUILS grant will help to increase the use and quality of lung screening across the state. We hope to replicate the results seen with this program in Kentucky and make Mississippi a leader in the use of lung cancer screening to save lives.
Lung cancer kills more people than prostate, colon, and breast cancer combined. However, less than 10% of eligible patients in Mississippi are screened.
“We have this screening tool to reduce that mortality by at least 20%, but with lung cancer screening rates below 10% in Mississippi, we must do better,” UMMC professor Dr. Jonathan Hontzas said. “The QUILS grant will help equip our state with the necessary resources to increase quality access and uptake of lung cancer screening, thus resulting in a stage shift that saves lives.”
The QUILS program originates from the Kentucky Lung Cancer Education, Awareness, Detection, and Survivorship Collaborative, which began in 2014. In collaboration with UMMC, the University of Kentucky will act as the program management hub for the system, while the University of Colorado will oversee the clinician engagement component and evaluate the population health impact.
