Pilot screening program identifies early lung cancer in asymptomatic patients

Con Shanahan, a 73-year-old man in Ireland, received a lung cancer diagnosis despite showing no symptoms during a pilot screening project.

He participated in the Lung Health Check program, which was run by Beaumont RCSI and funded by the Irish Cancer Society. Shanahan was one of more than 10,000 people who received a phone call to determine their eligibility for a scan after being contacted by their GP.

The screening process identified Shanahan as eligible for a CT scan because he had previously smoked and had contracted pneumonia during the COVID pandemic. He visited a mobile clinic in O’Rathallaigh Park in Drogheda to receive the scan. The results confirmed that he had lung cancer in the top lobe of his right lung. He underwent surgery in January and received a follow-up scan six months later that confirmed he was cured.

The pilot program identified nearly 40 asymptomatic people with early-stage lung cancer. The Irish Cancer Society says the project demonstrated a proof of concept for a national screening program. Data from the National Cancer Registry Ireland shows that three in every five lung cancer diagnoses in the country occur at a late stage when treatment is more difficult. Nikki Gallagher, the Chief Executive of the Irish Cancer Society, says a national program would save lives and provide value for money.