The HANSE study is primarily intended as a pilot to provide evidence that a holistic and effective lung cancer screening program can be implemented in Germany and that such a screening program can be integrated in the current infrastructure of certified lung cancer centers.
Germany has a long history of offering screening programs for cancers, such as breast, colorectal, and, more recently, cervical and skin cancer. Screening for lung cancer, however, which causes more deaths than any other cancer in men and is the second leading cancer death in women (not far behind breast cancer), has not been implemented to date. Only very recently, Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (IQWiG) in a preliminary assessment of low-dose CT screening, concluded that the benefits from screening outweigh potential risks. However, an implementation of a national lung cancer screening program, which would be covered by the general health insurance, will likely not be implemented before 2022. Nonetheless, the IQWiG report also comments on important criteria for implementing lung cancer screening in Germany using low-dose CT: 1. It would be necessary to determine criteria that define a high-risk population. Various risk forecasting models are currently being propagated to enable a more precise selection of high-risk individuals. Their reliability and repeatability needs to be checked. 2. Integration of access to a smoking cessation program. 3. Quality assurance measures must be taken into account, including standardized protocols for the evaluation of the CT images and the subsequent follow-up checks as well as the invasive diagnostic tissue sampling procedures. The HANSE study is primarily intended as a pilot to provide evidence that a holistic and effective lung cancer screening program can be implemented in Germany and that such a screening program can be integrated in the current infrastructure of certified lung cancer centers.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SCREENING
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
12,100
Low-dose computed tomography with lung nodule evaluation (LungRADS1.1, highrisk score group), randomized reporting of coronary artery calcium score and emphysema score
Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany
LungenClinic Grosshansdorf
Großhansdorf, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein
Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Primary endpoint
Positive predictive value (PPV) for lung cancer detection with different inclusion methods (NELSON vs. PLCO) after 2 screening rounds.
Time frame: 5 years
Key secondary endpoint 1
Proportion of individuals selected for screening within the high-risk population.
Time frame: 1 year
Key secondary endpoint 2
Proportion of lung cancers detected with different inclusion methods (NELSON vs. PLCO) within the overall study population after 5 years.
Time frame: 5 years
Key secondary endpoint 3
Proportion of lung cancers detected with in the high-risk population after 5 years.
Time frame: 5 years
Key secondary endpoint 4
Specificity within the overall population after 5-year follow-up.
Time frame: 5 years
Key secondary endpoint 5
Sensitivity within the overall population after 5-year follow-up.
Time frame: 5 years
Additional secondary endpoint 1
Rate of initiation of cardiovascular treatments (in particular lipid-lowering) in the calcium score reporting group vs. the non-reporting group after year 1 of study.
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 2
Efficiency of nodule management algorithms (LungRads1.1 + PanCan) will be evaluated according to the number of patients sorted in the category (a) "Next surveillance scan" AND the number of patients with lung cancer sorted into category (b) "early recall scan", or (c) "diagnostic evaluation".
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Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 3.1
Success of screening program. Based on all individuals enrolled. Definition of success is calculated using Response rate.
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 3.2
Success of screening program. Based on all individuals enrolled. Definition of success is calculated using Reliability of PLCO risk scoring (self-reported vs. on site assessment).
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 3.3
Success of screening program. Based on all individuals enrolled. Definition of success is calculated using Percentage of subjects receiving an adequate low-dose CT scan and report according to DRG guidelines (number of diagnostic CTs/number of all CTs).
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 3.4
Success of screening program. Based on all individuals enrolled. Definition of success is calculated using Percentage of subjects receiving adequate follow-up procedures.
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 4.1
Quality of screening program: CT reading performance (2nd reader vs. CAD vs. AI)
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 4.2
Quality of screening program: Quality of lung nodule management
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 4.3
Quality of screening program: Frequency of detection and management of incidental findings from low dose chest CT (emphysema, coronary heart disease, etc.)
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 4.4
Quality of screening program: LDCT dose management
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 5
Smoking cessation: Success of smoking cessation counseling based on number of participants quitting with or without revealing additional health risks (emphysema score, coronary calcium score or both).
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 6.1
Identification of blood-based biomarkers for early detection of lung tumors: Blood collection and evaluation of various blood-based epigenetic biomarkers in positive LDCT cases with subsequent biopsy on the positive predictive value of the LDCT test.
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 6.2
Identification of exhalation-based biomarkers for early detection of lung tumors: Collection of breath condensate and evaluation of various exhalation-based epigenetic biomarkers in positive LDCT cases with subsequent biopsy on the positive predictive value of the LDCT test.
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 7.1
Cost-effectiveness analysis: Main objectives of the modelling study are to investigate the impact of different components of LDCT lung cancer screening on the long-term all-cause mortality and cost-effectiveness. Key components include risk score-based selection criteria, nodule management protocols, threshold values of imaging biomarkers for cardio-vascular diseases and COPD, and inclusion of smoking cessation programs (performed by Center for Health Economics Research Hannover (CHERH).
Time frame: 1 year
Additional secondary endpoint 7.2
Cost-effectiveness analysis: Comparison of patient recruitment strategies: Cost-effectiveness of register-based mailing campaign vs. GP referrals in terms of recruitment of qualified screening subjects (Center for Health Economics Research Hannover - CHERH).
Time frame: 1 year