National Targeted Lung Cancer Screening Program enquiry launched

Consumers, health providers and representatives from government and peak bodies came together in Sydney in September to explore the feasibility of a national targeted lung cancer screening program.

The workshop was organised by Cancer Australia, a national government agency working to reduce the impact of cancer.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and kills more Australians than breast and bowel cancer combined.

It is estimated there will be more than 12,000 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed in Australia this year, and more than 9000 deaths.

In 2017-18 it is estimated there were more than 2.5 million current daily or former smokers between the ages of 55 and 74.

The workshop was the first stage of an enquiry to investigate the potential for a targeted screening program as announced by the government in August.

The enquiry will look at the benefits and harms of screening, cost effectiveness, initial scoping of the target population and understanding the screening and assessment pathway.

Lung Foundation Australia welcomed this first step.

"The initial enquiry meeting was very positive in acknowledging the overwhelming amount of international and national evidence in favour of a targeted screening program, with the vast majority of those in the room recognising screening as a very high priority," said Lung Foundation Australia chief executive Mark Brooke.

He said discussions reinforced the growing evidence that diagnosing lung cancer in the early stages leads to better care pathways and increased life expectancy.

"We know lung cancer has the lowest five-year survival rate of any of the major cancers, and the lack of a national screening program directly contributes to this terrible statistic," said Mr Brooke, adding that the program "will save tens of thousands of lives over the next decade".

Cancer Australia chief executive Professor Dorothy Keefe was delighted to have been asked to look at the prospects, process and delivery of a national targeted lung cancer screening program.

"This announcement recognises the growing evidence to support lung cancer screening and acknowledges the importance of continuing efforts to reduce deaths from lung cancer," she said.

The enquiry is scheduled to wrap up in October 2020.

It will also focus on targeted screening of high-risk groups, including people living in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and people in rural and remote communities.

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