National Lung Cancer Screening Program

In July 2025 the Australian Government will make the program a reality with the Lung Cancer Screening being funded and set to start screening eligible populations.

The NLCSP is a secondary prevention strategy which aims to detect lung cancers earlier when treatment is likely to be more effective. At risk Australians will be able to have a free lung scan (a low dose computed tomography also called low dose CT) every two years. To be eligible for screening, individuals must be aged between 50 and 70 years of age, have a history of cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack-years, and, if former smokers, had quit within the previous 10 years. The program will maximise prevention and early detection of lung cancer and achieve equity in cancer outcomes for vulnerable groups including First Nations people, people in rural and remote locations, people with a disability, people with a mental health condition, people from non-English speaking backgrounds and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Lung Foundation Australia are an implementation partner of the NLCSP. We are committed to working with the Australian Government in the rollout of this new cancer screening program. We recognise the importance of equitable access, cultural safety, and co-design, reducing stigma, supporting smoking cessation efforts, and education/ training for health professionals. As part of the implementation, Lung Foundation Australia will be establishing the Lung Cancer Screening Consumer Committee to ensure the NLCSP is guided by consumer advice.

The Lung Foundation Australia will establish a consumer committee to support the introduction of the new NLCSP. The aim of this committee is to provide feedback on resources, communication materials and to ensure the NLCSP is guided by consumer advice.

To do this we need your help to identify the positive and negative issues you may have experienced in access to and delivery of healthcare services. We welcome applications from people living in rural and remote communities, people with disability, people with a mental health condition, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people in the LGBTQIA+ community. Also, as this is a targeted program the committee particularly wants to hear from people who smoke or who have quit smoking. We have long championed for fairness and rest assured this committee will be a positive, non-judgemental and safe environment for you. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are being supported by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) as part of their contribution to the NLCSP.

Committee members will be recruited via an expression of interest and come from a diverse range of backgrounds. Whether you are personally affected by lung health concerns or simply driven by a desire to make a difference, we welcome individuals to apply. Applications will go through an assessment process as there are a limited number of committees positions available. Committee members will be remunerated for their time and expected to attend at minimum a two hour meeting per month.

If you would like to submit an expression of interest to join the Lung Cancer Screening Program Consumer Representative Committee, please complete the form here.

If you have any questions regarding the committee selection or requirements, please email advocacy@lungfoundation.com.au or call 1800654301

As a result of engagement by consumer advocates and Lung Foundation Australia, the then Minister for Health tasked Cancer Australia, in October 2019, with assessing the feasibility of conducting a lung cancer screening service in Australia. Information on the Cancer Australia enquiry can be found  here.

Lung Foundation Australia made a submission in support of a national screening program which you can read read here.

Cancer Australia’s report recommended lung cancer screening in Australia and found it would be cost-effective and save over 12,000 lives over the first 10 years of the program.

Lung Foundation Australia launched the Lung Cancer Blueprint: The Next Breath, which recommends the Australian Government fund and implement a targeted national lung cancer screening program.

The Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) reviewed the evidence and approved the feasibility of a targeted national lung cancer screening program in Australia.

In May 2023, the Australian Government announced their budget, which included $264m over four years for lung cancer screening, and $101m per year thereafter. Read our statement following the funding announcement of this life-saving program.

The work doesn’t stop here. We are committed to working with the Australian Government in the implementation of this new cancer screening program. We recognise the importance of equitable access, cultural safety and co-design, reducing stigma, supporting smoking cessation efforts, education and training for health professionals, and supporting Australians through the healthcare system.

 Lung cancer is often detected too late when treatment options are limited

 Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Australia

 Each year over 13,000 Australians are diagnosed with lung cancerⁱ

 Lung cancer has the lowest five-year survivorship out of the top cancersⁱⁱ

• Lung cancer – 20%
• Bowel cancer – 70%
• Cervical cancer – 74%
• Breast cancer – 92%
• Melanoma skin cancer – 92%
• Prostate cancer – 95%

 In 2015-2016, lung cancer cost the health system $448.4millionⁱⁱⁱ

 The key to improving survival and quality of life of Australians affected by lung cancer is to diagnose lung cancer early.