GPs should be central to the nuts and bolts of a proposed national screening program for people at high risk of lung cancer, including identifying and referring eligible patients, the RACGP says.

Previously, the college had raised concerns about identification of candidates for low-dose CT screening and the potential risks of overdiagnosis but was now “cautiously supportive” of the proposed program. 

A proposal by the federal Department of Health and Cancer Australia two years ago — which was now being considered by the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) – addressed most of the earlier concerns, the RACGP said in a submission.  

Under the plan, non-Indigenous patients aged 55-74 and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50-74 who were former or current smokers would be targeted for screening based on an assessment of their smoking history, family history, ethnicity and other factors.