International Respiratory Societies Commemorate and Support Those Impacted by Lung Cancer
On World Lung Cancer Day, the American Thoracic Society, alongside members of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), commemorate and support those impacted by lung cancer.
Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. Along with trachea and bronchus cancers, lung cancer claimed 1.7 million deaths in 2016. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 234,030 new cases of lung cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2018.
World Lung Cancer Day 2018 is a great opportunity for us all to highlight the many lung cancer risk factors to help ensure early detection. Smoking is the single greatest risk factor for lung cancer. Other lesser-known risk factors include environment and genetics. The risk of lung cancer also increases with a history of cancer in another part of the body, age, family history, radiation to the chest area, and lung diseases like COPD.
Asthma/Allergy Week at the ATS
Next week the ATS will recognize "Asthma/Allergy Week at the ATS" in conjunction with PAR partner, the Allergy & Asthma Network.
Join us for a live webinar next Wednesday. The webinar, "Improving Care: Asthma Tools," will be presented by Don Bukstein, MD, now in private practice.
When: Aug. 8, 2018; 4 p.m. EST
Where: Online. Register today!
Pulmonary Circulation Assembly Announces its Next Journal Club
The Pulmonary Circulation Assembly is pleased to announce that its next Journal Club will feature Daniel Lachant, DO from the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Lachant will present the article: "Pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment with carvedilol for heart failure: a randomized controlled trial”, JCI Insight. 2017 Aug 17;2(16).doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.95240. He will be joined by lead author, Samar Farha, MD (Cleveland Clinic), as well as discussion panelist Jim White, MD, PhD (University of Rochester).
When: Aug. 28 at 1 p.m. EDT
Where: Online. Advance registration is requested.
Cannabis Does Not Improve Breathlessness During Exercise in Patients With Advanced COPD
Inhaled vaporized cannabis does not appear to improve or worsen exercise performance and activity-related breathlessness in patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a randomized controlled trial published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
In “Effect of Vaporized Cannabis on Exertional Breathlessness and Exercise Endurance in Advanced COPD: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” Sara J. Abdallah, a PhD candidate in exercise physiology at McGill University, and co-authors report that the trial did not find a difference between vaporized cannabis and placebo on lung volumes or heart rate at rest or during exercise. Nor did the study find that cannabis affected cognitive function, mood or psycho-activity.
Although the study did not find a clinically meaningful negative or positive effect of vaporized cannabis on breathlessness during exercise or on exercise performance, the researchers noted variability in responsiveness to the cannabis.
Collaborate on MyATS
The MyATS web platform has enhanced collaboration tools, such as direct chat functionality, which allows members to message one another, as well as form chat groups, both public and private. The groups grant members an additional way in which they can connect and discuss areas of common concern, or collaborate in working groups.
Since December, the MyATS web platform has allowed ATS members to customize their web experience by identifying their “favorite” web pages on the ATS website and saving them in their MyATS dashboard. Additional features are anticipated for the end of 2018.
Learn more about MyATS and get started!
