1.3 Early detection
Increasing use of CT scans has led to increased detection of incidentally detected lung nodules, which should be managed according to existing guidelines (Cancer Australia 2020b).
There is currently no national screening program for lung cancer in Australia (Standing Committee on Screening 2015; Wade et al. 2018). The role of low-dose CT screening for lung cancer has been shown to be effective in reducing lung cancer mortality in asymptomatic people; however, its role for screening in Australia is currently being investigated. See Cancer Australia’s ‘Lung Cancer Screening enquiry’ for information and regular updates on the potential role of screening for asymptomatic patients.