How the NCSR will support the National Lung Cancer Screening Program

The National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) is a new Australian Government initiative aimed at detecting lung cancer early in high-risk individuals who smoke tobacco cigarettes or have a history of cigarette smoking (having quit within 10 years), with no signs or symptoms suggestive of lung cancer. The program will use low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans to identify lung cancer at an earlier stage when treatment is more effective, with the goal of saving lives and improved outcomes for patients.

Screening services will begin for eligible Australians aged between 50 to 70 years old from July 2025.

For more details, visit the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

• How the NCSR will support the NLCSP
• Who will be eligible for the NLCSP?
• How healthcare providers are involved in the NLCSP
• How radiologists are involved in the NLCSP
• More information and resources

The NCSR will support the NLCSP by:

• Managing participant information and sending screening reminders to eligible individuals.
• Providing healthcare providers with access to participants' screening histories (excluding CT scan images).
• Supporting mandatory reporting for radiologists to ensure accurate lung cancer screening data recording.
• Providing data for program monitoring and evaluation to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Australians aged 50 to 70 with no signs or symptoms of lung cancer and a history of at least 30 pack-years of cigarette smoking (currently smoking or quit within the last 10 years) will be eligible to participate and must be enrolled by their healthcare provider.

The term ‘pack-year’ is a way of measuring the number of cigarettes a person has smoked in their lifetime. Pack-years are calculated by multiplying the number of cigarette packs smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked.

For example, 1 pack-year is equal to smoking 20 cigarettes (1 pack) per day for 1 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.

Calculating pack-years is an ‘imperfect science’. A healthcare provider will calculate a potential participant's pack-year smoking history and determine whether they’re eligible.

Healthcare providers play a crucial role in identifying eligible participants, guiding them through the screening process, and ensuring follow-up care. They will use new Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items for low-dose CT scans and follow structured reporting guidelines for consistent and effective lung cancer screening.

For more information, visit the NLCSP Support for Healthcare Providers page.

Radiology providers will play a critical role in the NLCSP. From July 2025, they will be able to use the NCSR to:

• Request and view previous low-dose CT scan reports from the NLCSP (note: scan images will not be included).
• Submit low-dose CT scan reports.

The NCSR is working directly with the sector to help radiologists prepare for the program.

For more information, contact the NCSR at 1800 627 701 or submit a general enquiry.

More details about the lung screening program, including resources for screening participants, healthcare providers, pathologists, and radiologists, will be available closer to the program's commencement in July 2025.