Grant received in 2024.
DCCC has funded 200,000 DKK to the project.
Every year, more than 1000 patients undergo surgery for lung cancer in Denmark. Following surgery, there is often a need for pain-relieving medication, including opioids. However, the side effects of these medications and inadequate pain relief can lead to complications and impair the healing process for patients. Acute postoperative pain is also associated with the risk of developing chronic pain.
In other types of surgery, it has been found that a single dose of corticosteroids can reduce pain, nausea, confusion, sleep disturbances, and fatigue after surgery - all factors that can hinder the patient's return to their normal activity level. Although corticosteroids have only been studied in small trials in lung cancer surgery, the results have been promising.
This initiative aims to prepare a study with the purpose of analyzing the short-term and long-term effects of corticosteroids during VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) on lung-related complications, pain experiences, and perceived recovery of the patient. Additionally, the safety of the treatment will be examined, particularly concerning the risk of infections and cancer recurrence. The project will also include a health economic analysis to assess the potential benefits of the treatment, including a reduction in the number of hospital admissions, the need for intensive care, and lost earnings.
Multidisciplinary organisation
The research group is represented in the Danish Lung Cancer Group (DLCG). The initiative is supported by Collaboration for Evidence-based Practice and Research in Anaesthesia, which is a national research community for perioperative research.
Project stakeholders
- Jannie Bisgaard Stæhr, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Aalborg University Hospital. Primary contact, e-mail: j.staer@rn.dk
- Lars Møller, Consultant, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital
- Peter Juhl-Olsen, Consultant, Associate Professor, Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital
- Thomas Decker-Christensen, Consultant, Professor, Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital
- Michael Stenger, MD, Associate Professor, Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital
- Jimmy Højbjerg Holm, Consultant, Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital
- Erik Lija Secher, Consultant, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Rigshospitalet