Then, in late 2018, Nicole Ives learned she had early-stage lung cancer. This news couldn’t have been more timely as she was already grieving the loss of her husband. She didn’t have any symptoms until a few months before the surgery in October 2021. Then, an abdominal ultrasound for something else suddenly showed a mass in her right lung. This alarming find underscores the need for increased lung cancer awareness today. Importantly, it urges for targeted screening in groups that do not have a strong smoking history.
Lung cancer continues to be the biggest killer from cancer in Australia and globally. Consider the case of carcinoid disease — in Australia, nearly 9,000 people die from this disease annually. Dr. Kwun Fong, expert in lung cancer screening trials, highlighted the opportunity to improve outcomes through early detection.
“By the time we get symptoms, the cancer might be well advanced.” – Dr. Kwun Fong
The Silent Threat of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer has frequently been seen as a disease of mostly smokers. According to the CDC’s current statistics, one in three women diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked. Nicole Ives is one such woman. Just as worrying, one in ten men diagnosed are non-smokers too. Nicole Ives, who grew up around secondhand cigarette smoke during the 1970s and ’80s, thought she was at very little risk.
She talked about how anxious she was to talk to her family, especially her kids, about her cancer.
“I had no idea that it was there,” – Nicole Ives
This incident touches on a larger imperative for education about lung cancer risk that extends past a patient’s smoking history. These effective, targeted screening programs can go a long way toward catching cases like Nicole’s early on. This gives you the opportunity to intervene before the problem escalates.
“I was very averse to even saying the word cancer to anyone in my family, especially my children,” – Nicole Ives
Dr. Kwun Fong has been conducting lung cancer screening trials for over a decade, focusing on early detection to improve survival rates. The 3rd phase of his trial hopes to enroll 3,000 participants from urban, rural and remote, Aboriginal, and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds across Australia. The study will encompass individuals from three main groups: never or light smokers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and current or former smokers.
Advancements in Screening Programs
Indigenous Australians have an acute health crisis with lung cancer. They are twice as likely to be diagnosed and die from the disease compared with non-Indigenous people. Mr. Dorante, who works to address Indigenous health, pointed to the clear need for targeted interventions.
In light of these disparities, Dr. Fong emphasized the necessity of evaluating the national lung cancer screening program (NLCSP) after two years to ensure its effectiveness and responsiveness.
“We are twice as likely to develop and die from lung cancer than non-Indigenous Australians,” – Mr. Dorante
Overall, in spite of increasing awareness of lung cancer risks, very few people know that they could be at risk. As Nicole Ives, a prevention program manager who has worked on the educational campaigns around smoking, explained, that can give non-smokers a false sense of security.
“We have to make sure that the benefits outweigh the harms and it’s affordable and can be feasible and practical in our health care system,” – Dr. Fong
The Importance of Awareness and Accessibility
The Federal Department of Health encourages anyone who believes they may be at risk or is worried about their lung health to see their healthcare providers as soon as possible. Don’t delay—make a move for your health right now!
“Because they [health authorities] did such a great job educating us about lung cancer and smoking, for someone like me, who never smoked, I probably wouldn’t have thought myself vulnerable in any way,” – Nicole Ives
Advocates such as Justin Choveaux are shining a light on the dangers firefighters endure as a result of their profession. They’re advocating for universal screening for all firefighters, not just career personnel but those who serve as volunteers.
“Individuals who believe they may be at risk of lung cancer or have concerns about their lung health should not wait for screening and are strongly encouraged to consult their healthcare provider,” – Federal Department of Health spokesperson
Dr. Fong added that Australia is lucky to have a national program already established that will make it easier to implement lung cancer screenings.
“My suggestion and my hope would be that all firefighters, whether you be full-time, part-time or volunteer, would be able to access free screening,” – Justin Choveaux
Dr. Fong noted that Australia is fortunate to have a national program in place to facilitate lung cancer screenings.
“We’re very fortunate; we’re one of the few countries where this national program will be rolled out,” – Dr. Fong
