Australia’s new National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP), set to launch in July 2025, presents a potential breakthrough in combating the nation’s leading cause of cancer death. However, a recent study from Curtin University warns that the program’s success hinges on urgent investments to address critical gaps in lung cancer services.
The findings, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, highlight that while the NLCSP aims to significantly enhance survival rates, effective screening alone will not suffice to curb lung cancer fatalities. More than 15,000 Australians are expected to be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2025, a disease that claims more lives annually than breast and bowel cancer combined. Alarmingly, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face incidence and mortality rates that are double those of non-Aboriginal Australians.
Lead author and Professor at Curtin Medical School, Fraser Brims, emphasized the transformative potential of the NLCSP. He stated, “Detecting lung cancer early can lift five-year survival rates to almost 70 percent, compared with less than 5 percent for advanced disease. But screening does not save lives on its own.”
Critical Gaps in Lung Cancer Care
The paper outlines a troubling landscape for lung cancer care in Australia, where significant deficiencies threaten the efficacy of the NLCSP. A national survey revealed that only 38 percent of healthcare institutions possess the recommended core multidisciplinary workforce. Furthermore, nearly half of the institutions lack specialist lung cancer nurses, crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Professor Brims cautioned that inconsistent healthcare access across Australia leads to disparate health outcomes, underscoring the need for a cultural shift in healthcare standards. “The culture needs to change to setting the standard of care required of health services, rather than allowing inadequate infrastructure to dictate the standard of care. We need innovation, not compromise,” he said.
The economic implications of lung cancer are significant, with projections indicating a cost of $8.3 billion to the Australian economy by 2031. Despite this burden, the research funding allocated to lung cancer remains disproportionately low.
A Call for Coordinated Action
Professor Brims believes that the implementation of the NLCSP represents a rare opportunity to reform lung cancer care on a national scale. He asserts that this chance can only be capitalized on if screening efforts are matched by sustained investments in services, research, and data collection. “With decisive, coordinated investment, Australia can transform lung cancer outcomes for generations to come. Without it, the true benefits of screening will remain out of reach. Now is the time to act,” he stated.
Lung Foundation Australia, which has supported lung cancer patients for over 30 years, echoes these sentiments. Chief Executive Officer Mark Brooke stated that while the NLCSP is already altering lives, its full potential can only be realized with the establishment of a national clinical quality registry for lung cancer. This registry would provide a comprehensive overview of patient care, enabling healthcare providers to enhance service quality and reduce disparities.
“Early detection saves lives, but quality care must follow,” Mr. Brooke emphasized. He called for urgent funding for specialist lung cancer nurses from all levels of government, stressing the need for sustained investment that accurately reflects the impact of lung cancer in Australia.
The paper titled “National screening, National Responsibility: Turning Promise Into Progress for Lung Cancer Care” serves as a crucial reminder of the work that lies ahead. As Australia prepares to launch the NLCSP, the call for immediate and strategic action remains vital to ensure that the promise of improved lung cancer outcomes translates into reality.
