Lung cancer screening

Lung cancer kills more Kiwi than any other cancer. This year, it will claim around 1,800 lives.

Many of those deaths are preventable. Most lung cancer cases are diagnosed at a late stage, often after someone ends up in the emergency department. By then, treatment options are limited and outcomes are poor.

We screen for breast, cervical, and bowel cancer in New Zealand. Australia and England screen for lung cancer. New Zealand does not.

Health New Zealand has developed a business case for a national lung cancer screening programme targeting people aged 50–74 with significant smoking histories. But implementation has stalled.

Modelling suggests that over 20 years, the programme could detect around 9,000 lung cancers and save more than 6,000 lives.

Earlier detection means less intensive treatment, better survival rates, and lower long-term costs to the health system.

The Cardiac and Respiratory Foundation NZ is calling on the Government to:

• Commit to funding a targeted national lung cancer screening programme through Budget 2027
• Ensure New Zealanders aged 50–74 who have ever smoked can access risk-based low-dose CT screening
• Prioritise early detection to improve survival rates and reduce long-term treatment costs