Episode Summary
In this episode Prof Emily Stone interviews Prof Kwun Fong to discuss the challenges of implementing a lung cancer screening program. Both are long time advocates and researchers in early screening for lung cancer. Lung cancer screening works. Earlier detection of lung cancer presents a vastly different prognosis. Stage I disease has a median 5 year survival of greater than 65%, whereas metastatic disease has a 5 year median survival rate of 15-20%. It is time to shift the perception of a lung cancer diagnosis to that of a treatable cancer with a potential cure, through a combination of early-stage detection, and effective communication that newer treatments offer better survival and QoL. The recently released Cancer Australia Report on lung cancer screening has been presented to the Health Minister and is awaiting actions.
Show Hosts
This episode’s host are:
- Prof Emily Stone, Deputy Chair, TOGA; Respiratory Physician, Senior Staff Specialist and Head of Thoracic Medicine, Department of Thoracic Medicine and Lung Transplantation, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney; conjoint Senior Lecturer, University of New South Wales; Chair, St Vincent’s Hospital Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary team
- Prof Kwun Fong, Thoracic and Sleep Physician, The Prince Charles Hospital
