Woman says life saved by free lung cancer screening

Suzi Scott, a 57-year-old woman from Brisbane, survived lung cancer after participating in Australia's free lung cancer screening program. At age 49, her mother died from the disease, highlighting the potential of early detection. Ms Scott, who smoked for 30 years, was diagnosed with a 1.6 cm tumour in her right lung after a low dose CT scan, which led to its successful removal four weeks later.

She spent four days in the hospital and six weeks off work but has not required further treatment. To be eligible, Australians must be aged 50-70 with a significant smoking history and no symptoms. The program, launched in July last year, has scanned over 117,000 people, but has seen low participation in the first year. Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke attributes this to a need for increased investment in referring patients for screening.

He also suggests extending the age range and including high-risk occupations. Despite some challenges in post-diagnosis care, the program is considered a success, with experts calling for better integration of smoking cessation support and more specialist lung cancer nurses to improve patient outcomes.