VA research advances: Lung cancer, AI, and bone regeneration
The VA's Office of Research and Development recently published findings from three separate studies that could significantly improve treatment outcomes for disabled veterans in the years ahead. The research covers major advances in lung cancer survival rates, artificial intelligence applications for health behavior apps, and new techniques for bone regeneration that may help veterans with critical bone defects.
Researchers at the St. Louis VA analyzed data from nearly 1.5 million veterans treated for lung cancer between 2007 and 2019, finding that overall survival rates more than doubled during this period. For veterans receiving care within the VA system, three-year survival rates increased from 24% to 51%, while veterans using community care saw an increase from 24% to 41%. The research team concluded that lung cancer care delivered within an integrated, publicly funded system like the VA leads to greater and faster improvements in veteran survival rates. Non-small cell lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States, making these findings particularly significant for the veteran population, which experiences higher rates of lung cancer due to service-related exposures.
The VA's Office of Research and Development operates as the federal government's second-largest medical research program, conducting studies specifically focused on conditions that disproportionately affect veterans. These research efforts directly inform treatment protocols at VA medical centers nationwide and often lead to breakthroughs that benefit the broader medical community. For disabled veterans already enrolled in VA healthcare, these advances translate into access to cutting-edge treatments and protocols developed specifically with veteran health needs in mind.
In a separate study, researchers from VA Ann Arbor Health Care Services worked with colleagues to develop guidelines for health intervention apps that use reinforcement learning algorithms. These algorithms help determine the optimal times to send personalized reminder notifications that encourage positive health behavior changes. The team examined a recent trial of a sodium reduction app to identify challenges and solutions when deploying online algorithms in clinical trials, contributing valuable insights to the growing field of AI-assisted healthcare. This research could eventually lead to more effective mobile health tools for veterans managing chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
Researchers at the VA Salt Lake City facility made promising discoveries in bone regeneration using a process called sintering, which involves compacting material through pressure or heat. The team worked with fluorapatite scaffolds, a calcium phosphate mineral used in bone tissue engineering, sintering them at various temperatures to achieve compressive strengths of 5-13 megapascals. While the researchers believe further optimization is needed before human trials can begin, this work represents a significant step toward helping veterans with critical bone defects resulting from combat injuries, accidents, or degenerative conditions return to normal function.
These research advances matter because they address conditions that frequently affect disabled veterans and contribute to service-connected disabilities. Lung cancer, chronic disease management, and musculoskeletal injuries all represent major categories of VA disability claims and ongoing treatment needs. When VA research produces better outcomes in these areas, it directly impacts the quality of life and long-term prognosis for veterans already navigating the disability benefits system.
Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare automatically benefit from these research advances as new protocols and treatments are implemented across the VA system. Those not currently enrolled should consider whether VA healthcare might offer advantages, particularly for conditions like lung cancer where the research shows notably better survival rates within the VA system compared to community care. Veterans can learn more about current VA research initiatives and participate in clinical trials by visiting the Office of Research and Development online or discussing opportunities with their VA healthcare provider.