The Malinauskas Labor Government has invested $3 million to support follow-up treatment and care for people receiving lung cancer screenings.
This funding supports the rollout of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program in South Australia, an Albanese Labor Government health initiative that offers free lung cancer screenings to high-risk individuals.
This life-saving early intervention program kicked off in July, offering free, low-dose CT scans to help detect lung cancer early in those aged 50–70 who are smokers, or those with a significant smoking history but who have quit within the past 10 years.
The State Government's investment will deliver more lung cancer assessment and treatment programs across Adelaide, ensuring anyone diagnosed with lung cancer through the national screening program can quickly access essential follow-up assessments and care.
Our funding will support additional resourcing in all three metropolitan Local Health Networks:
- Central Adelaide Local Health Network: 6 FTE dedicated cancer, heart and lung staff will be funded to increase the number of respiratory, cardiothoracic and oncology clinics.
- Northern Adelaide Local Health Network: Additional bronchoscopy lists, increased staffing at outpatient lung cancer services, and a multidisciplinary conference will be established to assess patients with pulmonary nodules (small lesions in the lung that can indicate early lung cancer). These services will be operational by February 2026.
- Southern Adelaide Local Health Network: New staff will be recruited to respond to increased demand for services through the lung screening program. This includes surgical and allied health personnel such as pulmonary rehabilitation staff.
Follow-up scans and care options already available in our public health system include CT-guided lung biopsies and positron emission tomography (PET)-CT scans. Delivering more of these services will ensure that pathways to follow-up treatment are quickly in place for those who need it.
It is estimated the National Lung Cancer Screening Program will save 12,000 lives across Australia over the next decade.
This early intervention health service is only available to eligible patients who are not currently displaying symptoms such as unexplained persistent coughs, shortness of breath for no reason, or coughing up blood. Anyone with these symptoms should seek medical advice, even if they have no history of smoking or vaping.
Bookings can be made to access the National Lung Cancer Screening Program through a GP, nurse practitioner, or medical specialist.
For people like 65-year-old Michelle Marmion, a smoker for 40 years, the program could be life-saving.
She saw her doctor in Adelaide for a check-up after enduring a heavy fall during a rough boat ride while on holiday in Thailand. Her doctor took the opportunity to refer her for lung screening based on her smoking history, out of which she discovered a "suspicious spot" on her right lung that subsequent testing revealed was Stage 2 lung cancer.
Michelle says despite the challenges of going through cancer treatment, it could have been so much worse for her if she hadn't been scanned.
The Malinauskas and Albanese Labor governments are working together to increase South Australia's screenings, potential diagnoses and treatments for all types of cancer by establishing a Statewide Cancer Network, made possible thanks to a jointly-funded $77 million package.
Labor is investing in a bigger health system for all South Australians, including more pathways to detect cancer as early as possible – providing the greatest chance of effective treatment.
As put by Chris Picton
Our Government is investing to ensure the National Lung Cancer Screening Program rolls out and integrates with our health system in the best possible way.
This important health initiative will give South Australians who have a higher risk of developing lung cancer more opportunities to detect it earlier.
People who are able to detect their lung cancer sooner are more likely to get the best possible treatment, but this can only happen with the appropriate follow-up support, which the Malinauskas Government's investment will deliver.
I encourage all South Australians who are eligible for the National Lung Cancer Screening Program to book an appointment – early intervention support will help to save lives.
As put by Michelle Marmion
It's been a tough time and there's some stuff ahead for me, but had I not had the lung screen now and instead sometime in the future, I would probably be having palliative care and not the more positive outlook I have been given today.
Please, if you have a similar story to mine, please just go and have that scan.
I was symptom-free and probably would still be smoking with no idea of the time bomb I was carrying within myself.
