Australia’s new National Lung Cancer Screening Program could dramatically improve survival rates for the nation’s deadliest cancer – but only if urgent investment is made to fix critical gaps in lung cancer services, according to new work from Curtin University.
The new paper published in the Medical Journal of Australia warns that while the July 2025 launch of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) marked a transformative milestone, screening alone would not be enough to reduce lung cancer deaths without stronger clinical infrastructure and workforce support.
Lung cancer remains Australia’s leading cause of cancer death, claiming more lives each year than breast and bowel cancer combined, with more than 15,000 Australians diagnosed in 2025. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are over-represented in population data, experiencing incidence and mortality rates twice those of non-Aboriginal Australians.
Lead author Professor Fraser Brims, from Curtin Medical School, said the NLCSP was a critical catalyst for change, designed to identify people at high risk earlier – when treatment is most effective.
“The National Lung Cancer Screening Program has enormous potential. Detecting lung cancer early can lift five-year survival rates to almost 70 per cent, compared with less than five per cent for advanced disease. But screening does not save lives on its own,” Professor Brims said.
The paper highlights a “deeply concerning” national picture, with major shortfalls in lung cancer care that risk undermining the program’s impact.
A recent national survey found only 38 per cent of institutions have the recommended core multidisciplinary workforce, while around half lack specialist lung cancer nurses, a role shown to significantly improve patient outcomes.
The survey identifies several systemic shortfalls that require strategic investment including improved equitable access to high quality services, personalised medicine and expert nursing care.
Professor Brims said inconsistencies in care across Australia meant that where a patient lived influenced their health outcomes.
“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,” Professor Brims said.
The paper also notes that lung cancer is projected to cost the Australian economy $8.3 billion by 2031 yet continues to receive disproportionately low research funding relative to its disease burden.
Professor Brims said the introduction of the screening program presented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform lung cancer care nationwide, but only if screening was matched with sustained investment in services, data and research.
“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 said.
For more than 30 years, Lung Foundation Australia has walked alongside people living with lung cancer, helping them navigate some of life’s hardest moments with care, knowledge and hope. They provide trusted support through specialist lung cancer nurses, peer support programs and social workers.
To complement the screening program and translate early detection into better outcomes, Lung Foundation Australia and Curtin Medical School are advocating for a national clinical quality registry for lung cancer.
The registry would provide a comprehensive view of patient care and outcomes across the country, enabling hospitals and clinicians to measure and improve the quality of care, reduce variation between services, and better understand patient experiences. It would also support research, innovation, and the integration of personalised medicine, providing a foundation for long-term improvements in treatment and survival.
Lung Foundation Australia Chief Executive Officer Mark Brooke said the success of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program was a critical step forward.
“The National Lung Cancer Screening Program is already changing lives, but to truly transform lung cancer outcomes, we need a national clinical quality registry. This registry will track care quality, highlight where improvements are needed, and ensure every Australian benefits equally from early detection. Early detection saves lives, but quality care must follow,” Mr Brooke said.
Mr Brooke said urgent funding for specialist lung cancer nurses from all sides of government was required to ensure those diagnosed were not left behind.
“As a peak public health advocacy body, we are calling for sustained, evidence-informed investment that reflects the true impact of lung cancer in Australia. With the right focus, including support for specialist nurses, prevention and occupational health, we can improve outcomes and save lives,” he said.
The paper, ‘National screening, National Responsibility: Turning Promise Into Progress for Lung Cancer Care’, was recently published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
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