Institute highlights critical gaps in lung cancer care

The Institute for Respiratory Health is leading a national collaboration to address critical issues in lung cancer care uncovering significant gaps in services across Australia.

Lung cancer is Australia’s biggest cancer killer claiming more lives than breast and bowel cancers combined.

The Lung Cancer Clinical Quality Data Platform (LUCAP) led by Professor Fraser Brims from the Institute has identified significant problems:

Delays in specialist appointments: On average, patients wait about 19 days for their first specialist appointment. The goal is to see patients within 14 days but only 39% achieve this.

Delays in treatment commencement: Patients wait about 74 days on average to start treatment. The goal is 42 days but only 21% of patients begin treatment within this period.

Variability in care: Performance varies widely across health service providers. Some offer better and quicker care than others.

Documentation gaps: There are gaps in clinical documentation particularly in recording clinical staging and patient health. This can lead to communication problems and difficulties in tracking patient progress.

Professor Fraser Brims emphasised the importance and timeliness of the findings on World Lung Cancer Day.

“We need to find and fix the bottlenecks in the healthcare system so patients receive care quickly as this can save lives. The demand for lung cancer services will continue to rise and we need to ensure these services are adequately resourced.

“We need increased funding to improve lung cancer care. Ongoing training for healthcare professionals is crucial to maintaining high standards of care.”

Professor Brims also highlighted the disparity in care based on location. “The findings show that where you live could determine the level of care you receive with some lung cancer patients not receiving the care they need.

“It’s important that lung cancer services are consistent across the country so all Australians have a fair go at receiving treatment.”

LUCAP is a collaborative project between the Institute, Curtin University, Lung Foundation Australia, Cancer Council WA, the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and the Thoracic Oncology Group Australasia.

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