Lung Disease Research Using Advanced Technology to Help Diagnose, Treat, and Hopefully Cure Patients in the Future

Lung Disease Research Using Advanced Technology to Help Diagnose, Treat, and Hopefully Cure Patients in the Future
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Medical Research Moving Forward

During the 1980’s and 1990’s, medical research delved into cellular and tissue studies of both human and animal subjects. Now that genomic research is advancing to include the mapping of humans, animals and even pathogens, biomedicine is rapidly moving forward, enabling scientists to find new cures and treatments for many of the diseases that have plagued us for so long. Lung diseases are one of the current research projects.

Current Lung Disease Research

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), regulates all the research and testing on subjects and the subjects are all wiling to participate in the trials. Lung disease accounts for one out of six deaths in America, making it the third largest killer. The American Lung Association-Asthma Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) is in charge of the testing and has twenty clinical centers around the country as well as a data coordinating center for information compilation and study.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is studying lung cancer and gets referrals to hundreds of cancer patients all over the country. Their Bethesda, MD. Center has a Clinical Trials Referral Office. At this time they are conducting clinical trials with lung cancer patients. The participants in these trials are receiving treatments developed through biomedical research.

Scientists are now able to take blood gas measurements in their efforts to diagnose and identify the different types of lung disease. PET, MRI and CT scans are the result of years of research and improved technology. They can identify lung damage and diseases without invasive measures such as surgery and biopsies that were once required to detect lung cancer. This enables the doctors to discern the injury or illness without further weakening the patient, as well as being ably to prescribe the correct treatments and medications quickly. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are the keys to improving the patient’s prognosis. Biomedical research has made it possible to improve both the quality of life and the survivability rate for many lung patients who would otherwise have died.

Future Research

Biomedical research is ongoing and making new advances in both diagnosis and treatment. The technology is improving with new discoveries and methods in the hopes of finally finding a cure for lung disease.

Resources**:**

https://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.1312953/k.D1F6/New_Diagnostic_Breakthroughs.htm

https://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.33347/k.AC09/Data__Statistics.htm