Class Action Lawsuit Validated by Finding that Scans Lead to over 90% Survival in Lung Cancer Patients through Early Lung Cancer Detections

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 27, 2006 -- A study released today by The New England Journal of Medicine regarding lung cancer detections further validates a significant class-action lawsuit filed by New York City product liability lawyers, Levy Phillips & Konigsberg. The suit asks Phillip Morris to accept tobacco corporate responsibility and provide annual low-dose CT Screening for a class of residents in New York State who are 50 years of age or older and have smoked a pack a day of Marlboro cigarettes for at least 20 years.

The October 26th New England Journal of Medicine reports the results of a study demonstrating that annual low-dose CT screening offers early lung cancer detections (Stage 1) in 85% of the cases in which lung cancer is detected by this break-through technology. The study shows that annual screening would significantly decrease the number of deaths from lung cancer -- the No. 1 cause of cancer deaths. In fact, the study finds that if lung cancer is detected early and promptly surgically removed, then the 10-year survival rate in patients rises to 92 %.

"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and the State of New York. Over 160,000 people die annually in the U.S. from this awful disease," said Jerome Block of the New York City law firm of Levy Phillips & Konigsberg. "Lung cancer deaths can be prevented since lung cancer is usually curable when diagnosed in its early stage. Philip Morris seeks to blame addicted smokers for what it calls 'personal responsibility'. We are asking Phillip Morris to accept 'tobacco corporate responsibility' and save their customers' lives by provide low-dose CT Screening of the chest for early detection of lung cancer," says Mr. Block, one of the leading New York City product liability lawyers.

ABOUT LEVY PHILLIPS & KONIGSBERG, LLP (LPK Law)

Levy Phillips & Konigsberg is one of the nation's premier law firms in the areas of toxic torts, product liability, personal injury, and discrimination law. These respected New York City product liability lawyers have worked to protect the rights of individuals and groups for more than a generation. Levy Phillips & Konigsberg work for those whose lives have been disrupted or cut short because of personal injury, wrongful death and product liability. With damage awards among the highest in the nation, LPK has amassed scores of verdicts in the millions and tens of millions of dollars. Not only have many of these verdicts resulted in some of the largest damage awards of their kind, but they have also yielded an impressive array of landmark decisions. http://www.lpklaw.com/

Levy Phillips & Konigsberg filed Civil Action No. 06-0224 (CBA) (SMG) in the United States District Court in the Eastern District of New York on behalf of a class of residents of the state of New York who are 50 years of age or older and have cigarette smoking histories of 20 years or more using Marlboro cigarettes. Plaintiffs wish to compel Phillip Morris USA, Inc. to accept tobacco corporate responsibility and provide them with a specific form of medical surveillance known as Low Dose CT Scanning of the chest for early lung cancer detections. The New England Journal of Medicine reported that several studies found that CT Scans offer early lung cancer detections in 85% of cases in which lung cancer is detected by CT Scans.

# # #