Are you between age 50-70, smoke, or recently quit smoking and have no signs of lung cancer?

You may be eligible for free lung cancer screening!

Australia’s new National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) launched in July 2025 to help find lung cancer early, when treatment works best.

 

Why this matters:

Catching lung cancer early can be lifesaving. It means more treatment options, better outcomes, and a greater chance of living longer, healthier lives.

Over 65% of lung cancers can be successfully treated if they are found early.

And if you are LGBTQ+ and have a history of smoking, this is a big deal.

 

What does this mean for LGBTQ+ people?

Our communities smoke at higher rates than the general population, often because of things like minority stress, stigma, gender and sexual expression, and targeted tobacco marketing.

At the same time, there are lower rates of cancer screening among LGBTQ+ people (LGBT populations and cancer in Australia and New Zealand, 2022, page 17-22).

Medical stigma, past negative experiences, and a lack of LGBTQ+ inclusive messaging all play a part in why cancer screening programs are less likely to reach our communities. As a result, our communities are less likely to interact with screening.

When screening rates are low, cancers are often found later, when treatment is harder. As you can guess, this affects our lives on a massive scale.

 

It’s Good to Know about lung cancer screening

Enter the It’s Good to Know campaign!

Created with LGBTQ+ communities, this initiative helps spread the word about free lung screening for eligible people.

It’s designed to speak directly to us, with resources on where to find gender-affirming care and screening options for communities in remote areas.

It’s good to know for you, your friends, your family, everyone you care about. Because screening and early detection boosts survival, and that makes a real difference in the lives of the people we love.

 

Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility

You are eligible for free lung cancer screening if you:

• Are between 50 – 70 years age
• Show no signs or symptoms of lung cancer
• Have a history of at least 30 pack-years of cigarette smoking
• Are either currently smoking, or have quit in the past 10 years

 

Wait, what’s a ‘pack-year’?

A ‘pack-year’ is a way to measure how much someone has smoked over time.

If you can’t estimate your pack-years of smoking, it’s okay. Speak to your doctor about your smoking history and they’ll help figure out your eligibility.

You don’t have to quit smoking to take part in screening, but it can be a good opportunity to talk to your doctor about support for quitting smoking, if you need it!

 

The Lung Cancer Screening Process

If you think you are eligible for the National Lung Cancer Screening Program, follow these 4 simple steps:

1. Talk to your doctor or healthcare worker about the Program

They will check your age, smoking history, and other details to confirm whether you’re eligible.

2. Get a low-dose CT (LDCT) request form

If you qualify, your healthcare provider will give you a LDCT request form to complete.

You will need to contact a radiology service provider to book a time for your scan.

3. Attend your scan

You will lie down for 10-15 minutes, with your arms above your head while the machine (pictured below) takes detailed images of your chest. And if you’re wondering, there are no needles or injections involved!

(Credit: Healthdirect Australia)

4. Get your results

You won’t get your results on the day of your scan. Your results will be shared with you, your healthcare provider, and the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR).

After that, the NCSR will guide you on the next steps based on your results:

If the scan finds something

• You will be encouraged to discuss your results with your healthcare provider. They may recommend follow-up scans or refer you to a specialist for more checks.

If the scan is clear:

• Great news! The NCSR will send you a reminder to have your next screening in 2 years.

 

Are there any extra costs with lung cancer screening?

The LDCT scan

Good news — the scan itself is free!

If you book the LDCT scan through the National Lung Cancer Screening Program, it will be bulk billed, with no out-of-pocket costs.

Consultation and referral

While the scan is free, there may be a cost from your healthcare provider for the consultation or screening referral.

We recommend checking with your healthcare provider about any consultation/referral costs before booking.

You can find a bulk-billing service near you, check out healthdirect.

 

I live in a rural or remote area; how can I access free lung screening?

Live in a rural or remote area and have difficulty getting to a screening test location?

The Australian Government is working with Heart of Australia to run mobile lung cancer screening services in rural and remote communities.

In NSW, the mobile CT services will be available from November 2026.

You can book in at your local doctor’s clinic, Aboriginal Health Service, or your community health centre. You can also contact your health service to see if they offer telehealth appointments if in-person visits are heard to get to.

The mobile screening services planning is supported by expertise from NACCHO, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, and advisory committees.

Check in on this website to see any upcoming screening routes coming near you and ask your healthcare provider for any additional information about accessing screening.

For more info, see For Rural & Remote communities | National Lung Cancer Screening Program.

 

Let’s stop lung cancer together

Free lung cancer screening is a huge step forward, but looking after our health goes beyond that.

You don’t need to have quit smoking to join the program, and support is available if you’re considering quitting!

Check out our Quit Smoking page for support and resources created for LGBTQ+ communities.

If you are living with HIV, you can check out our blog: Supporting people living with HIV to quit smoking. You can talk to your healthcare provider about your interest in screening. They can help you navigate the next steps.

 

Ready to make a change or help someone else quit? We’ve got plenty of tools and support to get you started:

• Get more information at How to quit smoking.
• Call an expert on NSW Quitline at 13 78 48
• Develop a quit plan on icanquit.com.au
• Download the MyQuitBuddy app

 

For more LGBTQ+ specific info on the National Lung Cancer Screening Program, check out It’s Good To Know.

Got any specific questions? You can contact the following email at lungcancerscreening@health.gov.au