The federal government’s national lung cancer screening program has concluded its first 12 months, with data showing almost 100,000 high-risk Australians accessed the free service and more than 230 primary lung cancers detected.
Lung cancer remains Australia’s leading cause of cancer death, claiming about 9,000 lives annually, and late diagnosis remains the biggest hurdle in treating the disease.
Health minister Mark Butler said screening can detect up to 70% of lung cancers, and when caught early, more than 65% of cases can be successfully treated.
The program targets Australians aged 50 to 70 with a history of smoking, using low-dose CT scans available in every state and territory. In remote regions, a partnership with Heart of Australia has so far delivered 519 mobile scans via specialised trucks across north Western Australia and the Northern Territory, with additional services to be rolled out across the remaining states over the next 10 months.
First Nations participants made up more than 5% of those screened, an uptake credited to a structural partnership with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).
NACCHO chief executive Dr Dawn Casey PSM said the strong numbers were no accident, proving that national health initiatives succeed when they are co-designed with the community-controlled sector to ensure cultural safety.
