Low-dose CT
Computed Tomography of the Lungs
We inform you... Lung Cancer Screening.
In October 2023, the magazine "Der Spiegel" reported on the current status of potential lung cancer screening in Germany: “For Germany, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG)—in its 2020 benefit assessment commissioned by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA)—concluded that, for active and former heavy smokers, the benefits of low-dose CT lung cancer screening outweigh the harms.”
Among men, lung cancer is the second most common malignancy after prostate cancer; among women, it is the third most common, following breast and colorectal cancer. In Europe, lung cancer even ranks first in terms of direct and indirect cancer-related healthcare costs. This underscores the urgent need for a cancer early detection program. In addition to studies conducted in the Netherlands/Belgium and the United States—which have already demonstrated the benefits of such a screening program—a feasibility study has been underway in Northern Germany since 2021. Further concrete steps now depend on the entry into force of the statutory ordinance issued by the competent Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, as well as the subsequent formulation of a directive by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA), the body responsible for determining the scope of benefits for individuals covered by statutory health insurance.
Further information can be found, for example, in the following statements or publications:
„Positionspapier zur Implementierung eines nationalen organisierten Programms in Deutschland zur Früherkennung von Lungenkrebs in Risikopopulationen mittels Low-dose-CT- Screening inklusive Management von abklärungsbedürftigen Screeningbefunden“
Website IQWIG: https://www.iqwig.de/projekte/s19-02.html
Website G-BA: https://www.g-ba.de/presse/pressemitteilungen-meldungen/1155/+