A new lung cancer screening program in British Columbia is expected to help with early detection in people who are at a high risk.
The program will see up to 20,000 patients a year, and Health Minister Adrian Dix says this is the first such screening program in Canada.
“In 2018, an estimated 28,000 new cancers were diagnosed in B.C., and in ten years that number will increase dramatically to 40,000,” he said. “Lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate are the most common types of cancer and they account for almost half of cancer cases.”
This new screening program will benefit mostly people between the age of 55 and 74 who smoke or have a heavy smoking history. About 300 people are expected to be diagnosed with lung cancer each year, and clinics will be up and running by spring 2022.
“This transformation today will literally make the difference in thousands of lives in the coming decade in B.C., and it shows British Columbia – BC Cancer – leading the way,” added Dix, noting that as it stands, one in five lung cancer patients live for five years or longer.
“It is heart-wrenching news for families but it is also something we can do something about. The goal of lung cancer screening is to detect lung cancer in earlier stages and its been estimated through clinical studies that the screening we are talking about can reduce mortality by 20 to 25 per cent.”
About 3,300 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in B.C. this year, and the province says roughly six people die of lung cancer every day.
“This is a truly important day for British Columbians,” said Dr. Kim Chi, vice-president and chief medical officer, BC Cancer. “Our clinicians and scientists have been working for years to get to this point, which is being made possible by the leadership and investment from the government of British Columbia and our valued funding partners, the BC Cancer Foundation and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.”
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in Canada and around the world. It is the third most-common cancer in men and second most-common cancer in women.