Feasibility Study on the Possibilities for Implementation of National Screen Program for Lung Cancer in CEE Countries With Focus on the Balkan Region

OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer is considered the leading cancer-related death worldwide. The European Commission has proposed to broaden the focus of cancer screening in the EU with recommendations to explore the feasibility, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of implementation of low-dose tomography among risk groups. The current study aims to analyze the possibilities for implementing national screening programs for lung cancer among countries from the Balkan region.

METHODS: We conducted a study to explore the feasibility of implementing a national lung cancer screening program in the Balkan Region. Our focus was on screening individuals aged 55 to 80 with a history of 30 or more pack-years of smoking. We used both desktop analysis and an online questionnaire to assess the potential challenges and possibilities of such implementation.

RESULTS: The lung screening program (LSP) is currently fully implemented only in Croatia. In the other Balkan countries included in the survey, it is either in progress (e.g., Greece) or missing (e.g., Bulgaria, Serbia). Some of the barriers to implementation include financial issues related to low-dose computer tomography, a shortage of trained radiologists, lack of political will, lack of agreement among healthcare professionals regarding low-dose CT, and low levels of public awareness.

CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of LSP in the Balkan region is of great importance to impact the economic and social burden of the disease. Further analysis of the cost-effectiveness and benefits from a societal perspective is needed.