How the National Lung Cancer Screening Program works

Eligibility

You are eligible for the program if you are aged between 50 and 70 years and:

• show no signs or symptoms suggesting you may have lung cancer (that is, you are asymptomatic)
• currently smoke or have quit smoking in the past 10 years
• have a history of tobacco cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack-years.

Your healthcare provider can help you work out whether you’re eligible for the program based on your age and smoking history.

They will also assess whether you are suitable for screening based on specific criteria, which may be temporary. For example, being able to lie down flat to complete a low-dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) scan.

Once eligible, you can continue to screen even if you stopped smoking more than 10 years ago.

You remain eligible to continue in the program until you:

• age out (you turn 71)
• have findings on scans that mean you will exit the screening program.

You do not have to quit smoking to participate in the program.

Definition of ‘pack-years’

The term ‘pack-year’ is a way of measuring the number of cigarettes a person has smoked in their lifetime.

Pack-years are calculated by multiplying the number of cigarette packs smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked.

Calculating pack-years is an ‘imperfect science’. A healthcare provider can help you estimate your pack-year smoking history and will use their clinical judgement.

Learn more about how we determined the eligibility criteria.

How screening works

Lung cancer screening involves 4 main steps:

1. A healthcare provider, like a general practitioner (GP), nurse practitioner or a health worker at an Aboriginal Health Service, checks if you are eligible by asking your age and smoking history.
2. If would like to screen for lung cancer, the healthcare provider will give you a request for a low-dose CT scan. Ask your healthcare provider where lung cancer screening is offered in your area.
3. For the scan, you will lie down on a table with your arms above your head while the equipment takes images of your chest. The scan is quick and doesn’t involve any needles or other procedures. Your appointment will usually take around 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Your healthcare provider will receive your scan results. The National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) will send you an email or letter (depending on your registered communication preference) about what to do next. This may be to have a low-dose CT scan again in 2 years or to discuss your results with your healthcare provider. Information is available in the privacy notice on why, when and how your information is collected, used and disclosed to operate the NCSR.

Read more about your visit to the radiology clinic.

See our resources that provide you with information about the program.

Mobile screening for rural and remote areas

If you live in a rural or remote area, it can be hard to get to a screening location. Mobile lung cancer screening services are available to help people in these areas.

The first of 5 mobile screening trucks will visit the following areas from November 2025:

Heart 7 will travel to the Kimberely and Pilbara regions of Western Australia and will visit the following communities:

• Halls Creek
• Fitzroy Crossing
• Derby
• Newman
• Tom Price
• Paraburdoo
• Meekatharra
• Exmouth
• Roebourne.

This page (and the Heart of Australia website) will continue to be updated as more communities in other jurisdictions are confirmed.

Getting your results

After your scan, the radiologist will review the images, enter your results in the NCSR, and send them to your healthcare provider. You will also receive communication from the NCSR explaining your next steps. These will depend on what is found during screening and could include:

• going back to the healthcare provider to discuss the results
• booking another follow-up scan if needed. 

Your results will not be available directly to you as they are sent to your healthcare provider. However, the NCSR will remind you to visit your healthcare provider or when to get your next scan. 

You may need another scan in 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, or continue screening every 2 years. It may also mean getting a referral to a respiratory physician or other specialists for further investigation.

If your scan has no findings, the NCSR will let you know. You will receive a reminder from the NCSR in 2 years’ time to screen again.

Read more about:

• understanding your results
• understanding lung nodules and other findings.

Accessing the National Cancer Screening Register

The NCSR provides information and helpful reminders about screening.

The NCSR Participant Portal allows you to:

• update your personal details
• manage your participation
• update communication preferences (paper or electronic options)
• view your screening information.

The NCSR also sends you information on what happens next or when you are due for your next scan. Your healthcare provider will also receive your results.

To access the portal, log in to myGov. You will see an option to link to the NCSR.

You will also be able to see when your last lung cancer screen was. If you participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program or the National Cervical Screening Program, you can also see information and communications about those programs.

You can choose to stay in the program but opt out of receiving information from the NCSR, such as reminders to screen.

To learn more, visit the National Cancer Screening Register.

Costs

The consultation and low-dose CT scan request

You will need to see a healthcare provider like a GP, a specialist, nurse practitioner or other qualified healthcare provider to get a request form for a low-dose CT scan. Healthcare providers who do not bulk bill may charge a fee for consultations about the program.

Check what fees your healthcare provider charges for consultations when you book your appointment. You can visit healthdirect to find a bulk billing service.

The low-dose CT scan

There are 2 new mandatory bulk billing Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) items for low-dose CT scans under the program:

• MBS item 57410 – for the screening low-dose CT scan done by the participant approximately every 2 years
• MBS item 57413 – for any interval low-dose CT scans that may be required, depending on the results of previous scans.

You will not have any out-of-pocket costs for the low-dose CT scan through the program. This is because, as mandatory bulk billed items, a radiology provider accepts the schedule fee as full payment for the service when claiming from MBS. They cannot charge a co-payment.

Help and support to stop smoking

While there are many causes of lung cancer, tobacco use is the main risk factor associated with lung cancer. In Australia, 90% of lung cancer in men and 65% of lung cancer in women is estimated to be a result of smoking.

Smoking is addictive. Quitting can be one of the most difficult things a person can do for their health and wellbeing.

If you or someone you know is interested in quitting smoking, there are a range of measures and services already available to help people to quit.

Find out more about How to quit smoking.

You do not have to quit smoking to participate in the program.

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