Vienna as a pioneer

Milestone in the fight against deadly lung cancer

Pioneering work: under the leadership of Arschang Valipour from the Floridsdorf Clinic, the largest database for lung cancer in Austria is being set up.(Bild: Marco Sommer)

Lung cancer is one of the most common and deadliest types of cancer. A database in Vienna will save many more patients. 

Lung cancer is considered particularly insidious because it is often only discovered late, when the disease has already spread far and wide. This makes advances in diagnostics and therapy that can save lives all the more important. This is precisely where Austria's largest lung cancer registry comes in, a project of the Vienna Health Association (Wigev) in collaboration with the Karl Landsteiner Institute for Lung Research and Pneumological Oncology.

Already over 1500 samples
Over 1500 cases have been recorded in the database since it was founded in 2020. "Lung cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases. With a broad base of data, we can identify patterns and improve treatment in a targeted manner," says Arschang Valipour, Head of the Lung Department at Floridsdorf Hospital. The goal: customized treatment that not only increases the chances of survival, but also improves the patient's quality of life.

Precision technology instead of broadband treatment
The key to success lies in detailed analysis. Because not all lung cancers are the same. Modern next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology is used to identify genetic mutations in tumor tissue. These can then be compared with the database.

Regular monitoring and prevention
These findings enable individualized therapy that is precisely tailored to the genetic profile. The aim: instead of a general treatment, targeted active substances are used that work efficiently and dramatically minimize side effects. Vital for survival: regular check-ups.