The Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) welcomed the recent recommendation from independent Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) for the Federal Government to implement a national lung cancer screening program.
COSA President-Elect and radiation oncologist Associate Professor Dion Forstner said, “We know that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Australia.”
“We urge the Government to act on this independent advice which showed, unequivocally, that lives would be saved,” he said.
A/Prof Forstner said, “Let’s see real progress and action taken on this. We’d like to see the lung cancer screening program included in the May 2023 budget.”
COSA supports the advice from Cancer Australia and endorsed by MSAC, which recommends a low dose computer tomography scan for asymptomatic high-risk Australians.
Dr Malinda Itchins, thoracic medical oncologist, Board Director and Chair of the Lung Cancer Group at COSA said, “This recommendation supports the evidence we have known internationally for some time. Implementing lung cancer screening in Australia for high-risk individuals is mandatory. Each year we stall, we are losing people to lung cancer.”
“Unfortunately, most of our patients only find out about their lung cancer in the later stages, sadly after it has already spread to other parts of their body and can be controlled but not cured,” she said.
“When we detect cancer early, our treatment options increase, as does the likelihood of our patients’ surviving and thriving,” Dr Itchins said.
The spotlight on an Australian national lung cancer screening program coincides with COSA’s 49th Annual Scientific Meeting, which coincidentally has a lung cancer theme.
“In just a few days, Australia’s leading multidisciplinary cancer health professionals will be gathering to talk about the latest in cancer, with many sessions dedicated to lung cancer,” said A/Prof Forstner.
“We expect to see oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, allied health professionals, policy makers, public health experts, to name a few, at our conference. You can bet the national lung cancer screening program will be a topic of hot discussion,” he said.
