Australia's Lung Cancer Screening Program Needs Urgent Investment, Say Experts
Australia's new National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP), set to launch in July 2025, holds significant potential to improve lung cancer survival rates. However, a recent paper from Curtin University, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, warns that urgent investment is required to address critical gaps in lung cancer services for the program to be truly effective.
The paper emphasizes that while the NLCSP is a major advancement, screening alone will not be sufficient to reduce lung cancer deaths without stronger clinical infrastructure and workforce support.
Lung cancer is Australia's leading cause of cancer death, with over 15,000 Australians expected to be diagnosed in 2025. Alarmingly, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face incidence and mortality rates that are double those of non-Aboriginal Australians.
The Promise of Early Detection
Professor Fraser Brims from Curtin Medical School, the lead author, highlighted the NLCSP as a crucial tool for change, designed to identify high-risk individuals earlier when treatment is most effective.
"Early detection can increase five-year survival rates to almost 70%, compared with less than 5% for advanced disease."
However, Professor Brims strongly emphasized that "screening does not save lives on its own."
Critical Gaps in Care
The paper identifies significant shortfalls in national lung cancer care that could hinder the program's effectiveness. A recent national survey revealed that only 38% of institutions possess the recommended core multidisciplinary workforce, and approximately half lack specialist lung cancer nurses, a role known to significantly enhance patient outcomes.
Systemic issues demanding strategic investment include ensuring equitable access to high-quality services, personalized medicine, and expert nursing care. Professor Brims pointed out that inconsistent care across Australia means patient location influences health outcomes, advocating for a shift to setting care standards rather than allowing infrastructure limitations to dictate them.
Economic Impact and Funding Disparity
Lung cancer is projected to cost the Australian economy $8.3 billion by 2031. Despite this immense disease burden, it receives disproportionately low research funding. Professor Brims described the introduction of the screening program as a pivotal opportunity to reform lung cancer care nationwide, provided it is supported by sustained investment in services, data, and research.
Advocating for Systemic Change
To enhance the screening program and effectively translate early detection into improved outcomes, Lung Foundation Australia and Curtin Medical School are advocating for a national clinical quality registry for lung cancer.
This registry would offer a comprehensive overview of patient care and outcomes nationally, enabling hospitals and clinicians to measure and improve care quality, reduce variations, and better understand patient experiences.
It would also support research, innovation, and the integration of personalized medicine, forming a basis for long-term treatment and survival improvements.
Mark Brooke, CEO of Lung Foundation Australia, acknowledged the NLCSP as a vital step but underscored the need for a national clinical quality registry to ensure all Australians benefit equally from early detection and subsequent quality care. He also called for urgent government funding for specialist lung cancer nurses to prevent diagnosed individuals from being underserved.