Smokers the target of cancer screening

THOUSANDS of Australians will have chest scans to determine if routine screening of high-risk people could detect lung cancer before it turns deadly.

Results of the Royal Melbourne Hospital-led trial will provide crucial evidence about the effectiveness of a national screening program for lung cancer, which claims more than 8000 lives a year.

People at a high risk of developing lung cancer, predominantly heavy smokers over 55, will undergo regular computer tomography (CT) scans in the trial to see if it can detect the disease earlier.

A screening program, similar to the mammograms for breast cancer detection, was recommended in the US after research showed scanning high risk people could improve survival rates.

Lung Foundation Australia chief executive Heather Allan said screening was the best opportunity to reduce deaths.

“There is an urgent need and an important opportunity for government to rapidly implement an appropriate screening program in Australia that works within our healthcare setting,” Ms Allan said.

More than 10,000 Australians are diagnosed with lung cancer annually and fewer than 14 per cent of people are alive after five years.

Tasmania has among the highest smoking rates in the country.

“The cure rate is very low because 75 per cent of lung cancers have already spread by the time they are detected,” trial leader Associate Professor Lou Irving said.

“This is partly because the lungs don’t have any pain fibres within them, so the cancer can grow quite large in your lungs and spread before you even know that you have it.”