JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Cancer Center and Research Institute received a QUILS (Quality Implementation of Lung Cancer Screening) grant.

The initiative will provide nearly $1.8 million over four years to boost lung cancer screening efforts across Mississippi. Mississippi was one of only two states selected for this grant, primarily due to its low screening rates, along with high incidence and mortality rates associated with lung cancer .

“Lung cancer claims the lives of over 1,800 Mississippians every year. Lung cancer screening is a proven tool to prevent these deaths by detecting cancer early, when it is easy to cure. Yet, less than 10% of eligible patients are screened,” said Dr. Pierre de Delva, UMMC division chief of general thoracic surgery and chair of the Mississippi Lung Cancer Roundtable. “The management of a suspicious lesion noted on a screening is challenging and varies across institutions. The QUILS grant will help to increase the use and quality of lung screening across the state.”

The QUILS program originates from the Kentucky LEADS (Lung Cancer Education, Awareness, Detection, and Survivorship) Collaborative, which was initiated in 2014.

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