The cost of screening for lung cancer in Australia

Lung cancer screening can reduce lung cancer mortality. Australian cost estimates are important to inform policy but remain uncertain. to describe the first direct medical costs associated with lung cancer screening in Australia. single centre prospective screening cohort. Healthy volunteers (age 60-74 years, current or former smokers quit 256, 239, 233 participants were screened at each round respectively. 12 participants were diagnosed with lung cancer during screening and two during follow-up: nine underwent surgery, four received concurrent chemoradiation, one received palliative chemotherapy. One surgical case died from lymphoma 1407 days after diagnosis, all other surgical cases survived >5 years. Non-surgical median survival post-diagnosis was 654 days. Gross trial cost was AUD965,665 (AUD397,396 CT scans; AUD29,303 false-positive scan work-up; AUD96,340 true-positive scan workup; AUD336,914 lung cancer treatment; AUD104,712 lung cancer follow-up post-treatment). Average total direct medical cost per participant was AUD3,768. Average direct cost of surgery was AUD22,659; average non-surgical cost was AUD47,395 (radiotherapy, chemotherapy, palliative care). Advanced cancer cost more to treat and had worse survival than early cancer. Screening costs are similar to international studies and suggest that lung cancer early detection could limit treatment costs and improve outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.