International Respiratory Societies Call for Equitable Access to Lung Cancer Screening
On World Lung Cancer Day, the global respiratory community emphasizes that early detection can save lives, but only when screening is accessible
August 1, 2026
GLENVIEW, IL – Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death globally. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 2.5 million people in 2022 were diagnosed with lung cancer, resulting in approximately 1.8 million deaths worldwide. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, lung cancer is frequently detected only after it has reached an advanced stage, when treatment options may be more limited.
To mark World Lung Cancer Day on August 1, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), of which the American College of Chest Physicians® (CHEST) is a founding member, is raising awareness about the importance of detecting lung cancer earlier as well as expanding equitable access to screening worldwide.
Screening high-risk populations can help identify lung cancer before symptoms develop, when the disease may be more responsive to treatment. Annual low-dose computed tomography screening for eligible, high-risk individuals has been shown to detect lung cancer at earlier, more treatable stages and reduce mortality. Yet access to screening remains inconsistent across countries and even within health care systems, with many eligible individuals facing barriers such as limited availability, lack of awareness, financial obstacles, or geographic challenges. Expanding screening for high-risk populations has the potential to dramatically improve survival through earlier diagnosis.
FIRS and its members call on governments, health systems, policymakers, clinicians, and global health organizations to do the following:
- Develop and strengthen evidence-based lung cancer screening programs for people at high risk.
- Integrate screening into accessible and sustainable health care systems.
- Increase public and clinician awareness of lung cancer risk and screening eligibility.
- Address financial, geographic, social, and structural barriers to screening and follow-up care.
- Ensure that abnormal screening results are connected to timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
- Invest in research that helps countries implement effective and equitable screening programs.
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About the American College of Chest Physicians
The American College of Chest Physicians® (CHEST) is the global leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases. Its mission is to champion the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication, and research. It serves as an essential connection to clinical knowledge and resources for its 18,000+ members from around the world who provide patient care in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. For information about CHEST and its family of journals, including the flagship journal CHEST, visit chestnet.org.
About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies
The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is an organization comprising the world's leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally: American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociación Latinoamericana De Tórax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS), Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).
The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 70,000 members globally.