News release

From: Curtin University

Study reveals asbestos blind spot in lung cancer screening may cost lives

New Curtin University research has found Australians exposed to asbestos could be falling through the cracks of lung cancer screening programs.

The study, published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, warns thousands of people at high risk of lung cancer may not be identified early enough because asbestos exposure is not being properly considered in current screening efforts.

Researchers warn that without targeted action, thousands of at-risk Australians may continue to be diagnosed too late, when treatment options are limited and survival rates are significantly lower.

Lead author Chellan Kumarasamy, a PhD researcher from Curtin Medical School, said the findings highlight the need to rethink how risk is assessed.

“Asbestos exposure remains a major driver of lung cancer risk in Australia, yet it is not being properly accounted for in the screening criteria,” Mr Kumarasamy said.

“This represents a missed opportunity to detect cancer earlier and save lives.”

Despite Australia’s long history with asbestos use, particularly in construction, mining and manufacturing, many individuals exposed decades ago are not currently recognised within standard screening frameworks, which tend to focus heavily on smoking history.

The study calls for improved methods to identify people with past asbestos exposure, including better occupational history tracking and more inclusive screening criteria.

Senior author Dr Kim Betts, from Curtin’s School of Population Health, said expanding screening criteria could have a significant public health impact.

“If we don’t properly account for asbestos exposure, we risk leaving behind a group of Australians who would benefit most from early detection,” Dr Betts said.

Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death in Australia, largely due to late diagnosis.

The researchers want asbestos exposure to be recognised in the design and implementation of the national screening program.

The paper, ‘Lung cancer risk prediction models and asbestos exposure: a validation study on the Western Australia Asbestos Review Program’ was recently published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.