Noncancerous chest CT features for predicting survival in stage I lung cancer (Pulmonary artery to-aorta ratio, coronary artery calcium score, and lower thoracic skeletal muscle index, in decreasing order)

According to ARRS' American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), noncancerous imaging markers on chest CT performed before stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) improve survival prediction, compared with clinical features alone.

"In patients undergoing SBRT for stage I lung cancer," explained corresponding author and 2019 ARRS Scholar Florian J. Fintelmann, "higher coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, higher pulmonary artery (PA)-to-aorta ratio, and lower thoracic skeletal muscle index independently predicted worse overall survival."

Fintelmann and team's retrospective study included 282 patients (168 female, 114 male; median age, 75 years) with stage I lung cancer treated with SBRT between January 2009 and June 2017. To quantify CAC score and PA-to-aorta ratio, as well as emphysema and body composition, pretreatment chest CT was used. Associations of clinical and imaging features with overall were quantified using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards (PH) model.

For stage I lung cancer patients treated with SBRT, CAC score, PA-to-aorta ratio, and skeletal muscle index showed significant independent associations with overall survival. (p<.05). The model including clinical and imaging features demonstrated better discriminatory ability for 5-year overall survival than the model including clinical features alone (AUC 0.75 vs. 0.61, p<.01).

"The PA-to-aorta ratio, which is readily quantifiable with electronic calipers during routine image review, was the most important predictor of overall survival," the authors concluded.

These indications are relatively easy to get. My wife and I got 3/4 body preventative CT scans done a few years back. My score was under 90, while my wife had a “0.” We got a copy of the whole set of images for future reference, along with a Windows program to use to fly through” our bodies. The total radiation dose was 1/10 of a prior chest X-ray, thanks to the latest technology in the CT used. No contrast was used.

You can get just a heart scan, which provide excellent insight into your likely calcium issue, for as little as $100, if you find a place that does occasional holiday sales (Valentine’s, July 4th, etc.). States where you can find these scans include Florida and Texas, although my first one was in the 1990s in Illinois (again, preventative). I had a chest X-ray due to presenting with dehydration, recently, and the supplements I took to reduce the calcium score worked—no calcium showed on it (I got the X-rays from that, too).

Those are the only times in my life I’ve had scans, so far.

For those undergoing any procedure that provides such insight, radiologists can provide you your CAC and measure the PA-to-artery ratio for you. Do note as we age, the ratio gets worse, and it gets worse for women, first, from a recent study I saw and might post.

So work on keeping some decent level of musculature and on keeping your CAC score low (or zero). Diet and exercise and supplements can all help, making something like a lung cancer diagnosis, easier to survive.

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> and the supplements I took to reduce the calcium score worked—no calcium showed on it <

Question: Is the ‘calcium’ in this story the same ‘calcium’ that can accumulate anywhere in our body? Is there a way to decrease calcium in my brain?

I have a calcium deposit in my brain. In 2013 it was 1.4 x 1.1cm to 1.8 x 1.2 cm
in 2021. Won’t operate because of other things I have going on. I won’t take calcium pills. Doctor says I should tale Prolio because I have low bone density.
I’m afraid that would just add to the growth in my brain.

Specific to CAC, I followed the protocol described in this study:

https://ashpublications.org/blood/article/109/7/2823/125641/Regression-of-warfarin-induced-medial

I had already been taking Vitamin K2, but my supplemental dose was just 50% over the amount given for their “normal” vitamin K group!

What I used was two months of Koncentrated K, at one capsule a day, to get really close to the amount described in the study. Since then, I now take double the normal amount of Vitamin K / K2-MK4 / K2-MK7 that I did to wind up with the calcium.

I will probably take more Koncentrated K if any more calcium shows up.

Do note that calcium on your arteries is effectively from ruptures of soft plaques. Your body uses the hard plaque to fix what it found, but the “calcium patch” has its own issues. That study, and people taking warfarin, can have their arteries coated with calcium, over time, and not even from soft plaque rupturing. I know it prevents blood clotting for such person, but there are now other ways to address it, and it's even possible to take vitamin K/K2 while taking warfarin, it's just that your doctor will need to adjust your warfarin dose to compensate.

So, removing just the calcium without addressing the underlying soft plaque is not necessarily the best approach.

What have I done to address the soft plaque?

I have been more diligent on eliminating all refined sugar and wheat sources. I do eat plenty of veggies and generally are always lower carb to even keto in my diet. I have brought in more avocados and olive oil, too.

For supplements, I have more recently been taking nattokinase and lumbrokinase, on alternate days. I take 300 mg of Pantesin pantethine, twice a day. I take fucoidan, bergamot (or have bergamot tea), and tocotrienols daily. We also occasionally eat kelp, which can have rhamnan sulfate, also shown to rapidly reduce soft plaques.

I explain most of this, with links, in this older post in a different thread.

https://freerepublic.com/focus/news/4044326/posts?page=40#40

Is the calcium buildup actually your pineal gland? That gland often calcifies in people, which causes problems with your natural melatonin production.

Pineal Calcification, Melatonin Production, Aging, Associated Health Consequences and Rejuvenation of the Pineal Gland:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6017004/

Decalcifying Your Pineal Gland: Does It Work?

https://www.healthline.com/health/decalcify-pineal-gland

There may be limited studies which can point to some foods and supplements helping, including turmeric and boron.

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