FROM the 1st July 2025, a new lung cancer screening program is rolling out across Australia—and it’s set to be a game-changer for people living on the Fraser Coast.
Targeting those most at risk, the program is designed to catch lung cancer early, when treatment is most effective and survival chances are much higher.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Australia, and one of the biggest challenges is that symptoms often don’t appear until the disease is advanced.
This screening program, based on low-dose CT scans, aims to detect lung cancer in its early stages, often before any signs are noticeable.
You are eligible for the program if you:
- are aged between 50 and 70 years and;
- show no signs or symptoms suggesting you may have lung cancer (that is, you are asymptomatic) and;
- currently smoke or have quit smoking in the past 10 years and;
- have a history of tobacco cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack-years.
For the Fraser Coast—a region with a higher proportion of older adults and longstanding rates of smoking-related illness—this initiative is particularly welcome.
Many residents live in regional or rural areas where access to specialist care is more limited.
Early detection through screening helps avoid late-stage diagnoses and emergency presentations in hospitals which we know are under pressure.
Detecting cancer earlier means less invasive treatment, better quality of life, and more time with loved ones.
It also eases pressure on local health services by reducing the number of advanced cancer cases needing complex, expensive care.
New screening initiatives are so important, in addition to breast cancer, bowel cancer and cervical cancer, we now have the opportunity to screen for lung cancer.
These are the reasons to talk to your general practitioner.
This simple step could be life-saving—and it’s a promising step forward in the fight against cancer in our local community.
https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/nlcsp
Dr Nick Yim - Hervey Bay Doctors
