About Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Every year in November, we come together for Lung Cancer Awareness Month. This year we want to raise awareness about thoracic cancers, promote the availability and access to lung cancer screening, and champion the crucial advancements in both research and treatment.
An Early Advantage: Is Lung Cancer Screening Right For You?
During Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we urge you to find out if you are eligible for the National Lung Cancer Screening Program. This is not just for current smokers; eligibility is based on a combination of your age and lifetime smoking history.
Why Screening Matters
Survival Rate: Finding cancer at an early stage increases the 5-year survival rate dramatically.
Treatment Options: Early detection means less invasive and more effective treatment options are available.
Peace of Mind: Knowing your status is the first step toward taking control of your health.
How do I know if I’m eligible?
You may be eligible for annual screening if you meet specific criteria, which generally include:
- You are between the ages of 50 and 80 years old.
- You have a 20-pack-year smoking history or more
- You currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years
If you answered yes to all the above, please speak to your Healthcare Provider.
Important: Screening is only for people who do not currently have symptoms. If you have a persistent cough, unexpected shortness of breath, or other concerns, please call your doctor immediately.
Research That’s Transforming Treatment
TOGA is actively involved in several cutting-edge clinical trials that are helping to make lung cancer treatment more precise and personalised.
ASPiRATION: An observational cohort study that assessed the clinical impact of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) in metastatic in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This trial provided real-world evidence on feasibility and clinical impact of CGP, specifically examining testing turnaround time and if the breadth of CGP leads to higher rates of actionable target identification and improved patient outcomes compared to sequential single-gene testing.
OCEANiC: A trial investigating the proportion of participants with EGFR+ NSCLC who are alive and with no cancer recurrence following treatment with osimertinib monotherapy or osimertinib and chemotherapy post resection. This is a de-escalation trial that challenges the current paradigm by exploring a chemotherapy-sparing approach for participants with potentially good prognostic biomarkers. Success would offer patients with EGFR mutations an equally efficacious regimen with significantly reduced systemic toxicity.
DYNAMALK: Aims to enable molecular profiling of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in ALK+ NSCLC patients to track emerging resistance patterns. The goal is to identify common or novel resistance mechanisms and to assess whether the availability of real-time genomic data altered clinical decision-making.
SHERLOCK: Provided an option for a first line tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in metastatic or recurrent NSCLC harbouring the KRAS G12C mutation. Pairing the TKI with chemotherapy and bevacizumab aimed to deepen and prolong the response to treatment, with promising results presented at the World Lung Cancer Congress 2025.
ADOPT-Lung: Examining the role of immunotherapy after surgery in addition to immunotherapy prior to surgery, in early stage NSCLC. Immunotherapy has been a ‘game-changer’ for treatment of NSCLC, with the research field moving towards who needs additional treatment, or who can safely be spared additional treatment.
How You Are Making a Difference
Thanks to your support, TOGA’s Inspirational Research Grant fuels critical research initiatives. These grants, funded by generous donations, provide $50,000 over two years to researchers exploring innovative ways to prevent, treat, or improve the lives of people living with thoracic cancers. Importantly, these projects are developed in collaboration with consumer advocates, ensuring they directly address the priorities of the community.
The Inspirational Research Grant has funded research in projects defining epigenetic causes of immunotherapy resistance, to improving rehabilitation in lung cancer care. Read more about the research projects here.
Keep an eye out for the announcement of the 2026 Inspirational Research Grants.
Support researchers
Your donation provides vital resources to power these critical researcher's endeavours.
Community Campaigns
Tour De PET Scan with Chris Henry
Chris Henry is cycling 620km in 5 days, visiting every PET scan centre in WA and raising $10,000 for research. His ride honours those affected and fuels progress in treatment and care.
Lunar New Year Banquet with Dr Angeline Low
The Rotary Club of Chatswood International and lung cancer survivor, Dr Angeline Low invites you, your family, and friends to celebrate the year of the horse with healthy lungs. Tickets for the event can be found here. Help save lives, raise funds for lung cancer research.
