Australia introduced the National Lung Cancer Screening Program in July 2025 to help detect lung cancer earlier, when treatment is more likely to be successful. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in Australia, partly because many people do not develop symptoms until the disease is advanced. Early detection can significantly improve survival rates.

The screening program is aimed at people aged 50 – 70 years who:

• show no signs or symptoms suggesting you may have lung cancer
• currently smoke or have quit smoking in the past 10 years
• have a history of tobacco cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack years*

*One pack-year is equal to smoking 20 cigarettes (one pack) per day for one year, or 40 cigarettes per day for half a year:

• 1 pack a day for 1 year = 1 pack year
• 2 packs a day for 6 months = 1 pack year

Eligible patients will be referred for a low dose CT scan which is designed to find very small lung cancers before symptoms appear. Research has shown that regular low-dose CT screening can reduce deaths from lung cancer in people at higher risk.

For more information on the Lung Cancer Screening Program, click here. If you would like to make an appointment with your GP, click here or phone 8370 9777.