Call for roll-out of lung cancer screening programme

Updated / Monday, 9 Nov 2026 09:25

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The Irish Cancer Society has called for a national lung cancer screening programme to be rolled out.

Chief Executive Nikki Gallagher said a successful pilot programme to identify early-stage lung cancer has already demonstrated proof of concept, and should be prioritised.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she explained the pilot scheme - led by Beaumont RCSI cancer centre - contacted around 10,000 people through their GP to participate in a lung health check.

The participants were ex-smokers who were aged between 55 and 74.

Of those 10,000, around 2,500 were invited to take part in a scan, and 40 asymptomatic people were identified with early-stage lung cancer.

"It is really unheard of to identify lung cancer at such an early stage," she said, adding many of these people have already been treated successfully.

"Lung cancer takes more Irish lives than any other cancer. So the idea that this lung cancer pilot can give hope to anybody else involved in the project is wonderful.

"We would like to see this rolled out nationally."

Ms Gallagher said that in most cases, people do not know they have lung cancer until it has reached stage two or three, and be quite difficult to treat, and so identifying it early gives people a better chance of successful treatment.

"It's also more cost effective for the state," Ms Gallagher added, because economic modelling estimates around €120 million is spent by the State treating lung cancer each year.

Anyone who might consider themselves to be in a high-risk group should be aware of the symptoms of lung cancer, she said.

"If you have any symptoms you're not comfortable with, such as a cough, repeated infections or chest pains, you should contact your GP," she said, or call the Irish Cancer Society support line on 1800 200 700.

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