Free lung cancer checks to give Aussies a fighting chance

From this week, some Aussies with a history of smoking can access free, lifesaving CT scans to detect lung cancer before symptoms appear. See if you are eligible.

Australia’s first new national cancer screening program in almost two decades kicks off this week.

From July 1, Australians with a high risk of developing lung cancer can be screened for the disease free of charge. Lung cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in Australia.

The National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) will offer low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans to people aged 50-70 years who smoke or have a history of smoking and who don’t have the symptoms or signs of lung cancer.

One of the major challenges with treating lung cancer is that by the time patients present with symptoms, the disease is often at an advanced stage. Early diagnosis means greater treatment options and a higher chance they will be effective.

It is estimated there were more than 15,000 new cases and nearly 9,000 deaths from lung cancer in Australia in 2024. The $260 million screening program, which is expected to save hundreds of lives a year.

Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke.

Mark Brooke, CEO of the Lung Foundation of Australia said the NLCSP was a transformative leap forward in ending the stigma and inequality that existed for lung cancer in Australia.

“It gives us hope that lung cancer can be diagnosed earlier offering patients more choice in treatment options and the chance to live well for longer,” he said.

“Lung Foundation Australia will continue to focus on supporting people at risk of lung cancer particularly those facing stigma and in priority populations, to ensure the gold standard of care is available to all Australians.”

People wanting to access the screening will need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

•Aged between 50 and 70 years.

•Show no signs or symptoms suggesting you may have lung cancer.

•Currently smoke or have quit smoking in the past 10 years.

•Have a history of tobacco cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack-years.

The patient’s healthcare provider assists patients in determining whether they meet these criteria and will also assess whether the patient is suitable for screening based on specific criteria, which may be temporary, for example, being able to lie down flat to complete a CT scan.

Once the patient has agreed to participate in the screen, they, they undergo a low-dose CT scan.

The healthcare provider is most likely to be a general practitioner (GP) or a health worker at an Aboriginal Health Service.

‘Pack-year’ calculations are made by multiplying the number of cigarette packs smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked.

For example, one pack-year is equal to smoking 20 cigarettes (one pack) per day for one year, or 40 cigarettes per day for six months.

Once the patient has agreed to participate in the lung screen, the healthcare provider will make a referral for a low-dose CT scan.

The scan requires the patient to lay on a table with their arms above their head while the machine takes images of their chest. The procedure takes about 10 to 15 minutes and does not involve any needles.

For rural and remote communities that don’t have access to radiology clinics, from November mobile lung cancer screening trucks using world-first technology will take mobile CT services directly to eligible patients nationally.

The healthcare provider will receive scan results, and the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) will send patients a text message, email or letter (depending on the patient’s registered communication preference) about what to do next.

Full details about the program and eligibility are available are available here.

Originally published as Free lung cancer checks to give Aussies a fighting chance