Men Urged to Take Up New Lung Cancer Screening
Australian men are being urged to take full advantage of the Federal Government’s new lung cancer screening program, as health authorities work to combat one of the nation’s leading causes of death.
The National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) offers free, low-dose CT scans to eligible Australians aged 50 to 70 with a significant smoking history. The $264 million federally funded initiative (launched on 1 July 2025) targets current and former smokers (who quit within the past 10 years) with a history of at least 30 pack-years — the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in Australia, claiming an estimated 8,918 lives in 2024 — 4,909 of them men. More than 15,000 people were diagnosed with lung cancer last year and almost 85% of those will be diagnosed at a late stage.
While it is only the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer, it has the lowest five-year survival rate of any of the top five cancers, sitting at just 26%. By contrast, survival for colorectal cancer — the next lowest — is 71%.
One of the key reasons for this poor outlook is late diagnosis. According to the Lung Foundation Australia, most people diagnosed with lung cancer are already at an advanced stage. Yet if caught early, survival improves dramatically — around 70% of those diagnosed at stage one live beyond five years, compared to less than 5% at stage four. Lung Foundation Australia led advocacy efforts for a National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP), with evidence showing an improvement in early diagnosis and saving over 12,000 lives in the next 10 years.
"This is a landmark moment for cancer screening in Australia,” said Associate Professor Marianne Weber from the Daffodil Centre, which estimates that more than 930,000 Australians could meet the eligibility criteria over the next five years. “Without screening, only about 12% of cases are diagnosed at stage one. Lung cancer screening, targeted at those at high risk, could save thousands more lives.”
The program has also been co-designed with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to ensure it is culturally safe and accessible for First Nations Australians — for whom lung cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in men after prostate cancer. Mobile screening units and travel support will improve access for rural and remote communities.
Check out locations of mobile screening trucks
Men — who continue to be more likely to be diagnosed with and die from cancer — are being encouraged to speak with their GP to check their eligibility. While the screening program is for people without symptoms, any persistent cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, or unexplained breathlessness should prompt an urgent conversation with a doctor.
Australia now has four government-funded National Health Screening programs:
- BreastScreen Australia: Offers mammograms to women aged 50-74, with free screening every two years.
- National Cervical Screening Program: Recommends cervical screening (HPV testing) every five years for women and people with a cervix aged 25-74
- National Bowel Cancer Screening Program: Provides free bowel cancer screening kits to Australians aged 50-74.
- National Lung Cancer Screening Program: Offers free, low-dose CT scans to eligible Australians aged 50 to 70 with a significant smoking history.
World Lung Cancer Day is observed on 1st of August each year. It's a day dedicated to raising awareness about lung cancer, its impact, and the importance of early detection and research.