Lung Cancer Screening: A New Hope for Early Detection
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Australia, despite not being the most common cancer. This is due to its poor prognosis and the fact that it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage.
The Importance of Lung Cancer Screening
I was delighted to learn that lung cancer screening has been proven to detect early cancers and improve survival rates for people with lung cancer. Australia already has screening programs for bowel, breast, and cervical cancer. Recently, the age for bowel cancer screening was lowered from 50 to 45, which is great news! Some men also choose to screen for prostate cancer if they are at high risk, such as Black men or those with a family history of the disease.
Challenges of Cancer Screening
We can’t screen for all cancers because we don’t have effective screening tests for each type. A good screening test should detect early cancer without causing more harm than good and should have minimal false positives and negatives. Costs and economics also play a role in determining the feasibility of screening programs.
Evidence Supporting Lung Cancer Screening
The evidence supporting lung cancer screening with low-dose CT scans is excellent. This method has successfully detected early cancers in at-risk patients in other countries and will now be available in Australia for people aged 50-70 who are current smokers or quit smoking within the last ten years.
Non-Smokers and Lung Cancer
You might wonder, “But not all lung cancers are from smoking?” That’s correct. Around 15% of lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers, and this number is increasing as fewer people smoke. These cases are often due to specific gene mutations, such as EGFR, and have more targeted therapies. However, the percentage of smokers who develop lung cancer is significantly higher than that of non-smokers. Based on current evidence, it would not be appropriate to screen non-smokers, but this may change in the future.
Reducing Stigma and Encouraging Screening
I am thrilled that lung cancer screening is being rolled out and believe it’s important to highlight that smokers should not be stigmatized for smoking. Considering the marketing and accessibility of such an addictive and destructive drug, it’s crucial to approach this issue with empathy. If you or anyone you know is in the eligible age range and a current or past smoker, they should discuss enrolling in a lung cancer screening program with their GP.