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"The number of veterans diagnosed with lung cancer in this country isalarming," said Diane Hirakawa, Chairman and CEO of Riverain Medical. "TheOnGuard system will allow radiologists at VA hospitals across the country tobetter detect suspicious nodules which may indicate the presence of early-stage lung cancer thereby increasing survival rates of this deadly disease."
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According to a recent study in the American Journal of Psychiatry,veterans are 25 to 75 percent more likely to develop some form of lung cancerthan non-veterans. A 26-year evaluation of 248,046 U.S. veterans showed thatmore than half of cancer deaths among current smokers were attributable tocigarette smoking, making lung cancer the most widespread malignancy amongveterans. Moreover, it is one of the most common diagnoses requiring inpatientcare through the VA, which spends upwards of a half a billion dollars eachyear on smoking-related disease alone.(i)
Lung cancer has been a growing health concern among United States warveterans dating back to World War II. The overwhelming prevalence of smokingand exposure to radioactive materials among veterans places a large diseaseburden on the VA health care system. For example, many of the estimated 2.6million military personnel who served in the Vietnam War are at risk fordeveloping Agent Orange-induced lung cancer.(ii)
The five-year survival rate for lung cancer increases to 49 percent from15 percent when caught early. However, only 16 percent of lung cancer casesare detected at this early stage when it is most treatable.(iii) With the useof the OnGuard system, the VA can quickly and effectively identify suspicioussolitary pulmonary nodules that may be early-stage lung cancer.
About Riverain Medical
Riverain Medical, LLC is a privately-held medical software technologycompany headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, specializing in computer-aideddetection (CAD) of diseases such as lung cancer. The company's staff iscomprised of seasoned medical advisors, regulatory and quality analysts,programmers, and managers that have spent their entire careers in healthcare.Riverain's ownership and management team have extensive experience in themedical products industry, with an emphasis on research and development andthe successful commercialization of medical technologies.
Riverain has introduced the first FDA-PMA approved chest X-ray CADproduct. Using conventional chest X-rays, Riverain's OnGuard(TM) systemassists radiologists in identifying features associated with solitarypulmonary nodules that could represent early-stage lung cancer and may requirefurther investigation.
(i) Miles McFall, Ph.D., Andrew J. Saxon, M.D., Charles E. Thompson, Et.Al. Improving the Rates of Quitting Smoking for Veterans With PosttraumaticStress Disorder July 2005: 162:1311-1319. American Journal of Psychiatry.(ii) "Agent Orange Lung Cancer." Available athttp://www.onlinelawyersource.com/agent_orange/lung-cancer.html (iii) American Cancer Society Facts & Figures 2007 Contacts: Jane Hauser Amanda Pressel Schwartz Communications Riverain Medical 781-684-0770 937-531-5084 [email protected] [email protected]
SOURCE Riverain Medical
