Less than a month since the launch of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP), Patrick Griffin has become the Program’s first patient to have curative surgery for lung cancer – a cancer he was unaware of just two weeks earlier.

Patrick, aged 65 from Melbourne, was screened and diagnosed with stage one lung cancer at not-for-profit private health provider Cabrini Health a little over a fortnight ago, after being referred to the free Federal Government Program by his doctor who was assessing him for sleep apnoea. Today, he is recovering at home following surgery to remove a cancerous tumour, which was diagnosed and surgically removed before the disease had spread.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Australia, claiming about 9,000 lives per year. It is often diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment options are limited, but doctors are hopeful this Program will shift the dial on lung cancer survival through early detection of the disease.

Currently, the majority of lung cancer in Australia is diagnosed at late stage, with stage four five-year survival rates being less than 10 per cent. In comparison, those diagnosed at stage one have a greater than 65 per cent chance of five-year survival with more effective treatments available.

The NLCSP, which launched on 1 July 2025, aims to save more than 500 lives per year through early detection, ramping up to more than 10,000 Australians in the next 10 years.

Dr Hari Wimaleswaran, Cabrini Respiratory and Sleep Disorders Physician, referred Patrick for screening and supported him through his journey from CT scan in early July, to assessment, diagnosis and then surgery.

“Patrick initially came to see me for a sleep apnoea assessment, but after a simple history taking exercise, he was identified as being eligible for the National Lung Cancer Screening Program. After explaining the benefits of screening and the Australian Government’s federal support with a free low-dose chest scan, he and his wife Leanne were very quick to participate, and it’s very fortunate that he did,” Dr Wimaleswaran said.

Patrick was a heavy smoker until he gave up 12 months ago and is a concrete cutter by trade – a high-risk career for lung conditions.

“I’m very grateful to Dr Hari for recommending I should be screened – he’s my hero,” Patrick said.

“I hate to think what could’ve happened if he hadn’t told me about it and encouraged me to have the CT scan.

“To anyone out there who is eligible, talk to your GP about screening. My lung cancer has been caught before it’s had a chance to spread; it’s saved my life, so make an appointment today, because it might save yours, too.”

Cabrini cardiothoracic surgeon Associate Professor Chris Merry performed Patrick’s surgery a few days ago, hopeful that the surgery would be curative.

“The surgery went very well, and the cancer hadn’t spread, so we caught his cancer early, at stage one, which is exactly what this Program has been developed for,” Prof Merry said.

“Patrick’s tumour was the size of a grape, and he had no symptoms. If he’d waited until he had symptoms, he’d likely have been at stage four with a tumour the size of an orange, and the cancer would most likely have spread.

“His treatment options at that stage would have been very limited.”

The federal Department of Health estimates that the proportion of lung cancer cases identified at early stage will increase from the current level of 16 per cent to 60 per cent with uptake of this free national screening program.

Cabrini Health has participated in the NLCSP since its inception and has a dedicated lung cancer screening nurse, Antje Lutjen, employed to support patients through the process.

Cabrini Research, in partnership with Monash University, will also assist the Department of Health with long-term data collection and analysis from the screening program.

Patrick’s data will be the first to be collected, as the Program’s earliest patient to be screened, assessed, diagnosed and have received curative surgery.

“Patrick is exactly the type of person that this Program was designed to reach,” Dr Wimaleswaran said. “I have no doubt that he will be the first of many to receive life-changing care through this important screening program.”

– Ends –

For media enquiries, please contact:
Catherine Butterfield | M: 0436 928 801 | E: media@cabrini.com.au

About Cabrini Health
Cabrini Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit private health service located in Melbourne’s southeast. Inspired by the mission and ethic of care of the Cabrini Sisters, we have been providing quality, compassionate care to our community for more than 75 years.

Today, we employ more than 4,500 people and support almost 100,000 episodes of care every year.  With hospitals in Malvern, Brighton and Elsternwick, Cabrini offers a comprehensive range of acute, rehabilitation, palliative care, mental health and homecare services.

Our highly-skilled staff and specialists incorporate clinical research, innovative models of care and state-of-the-art technology to deliver the best possible care and outcomes for our patients.

About the National Lung Cancer Screening Program
Australians are eligible for the NLCSP if they are aged between 50 and 70 years and:

• show no signs or symptoms suggesting they may have lung cancer (asymptomatic)
• currently smoke or have quit smoking in the past 10 years
• have a history of tobacco cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack-years.

Please visit the Department of Health website to learn more: www.health.gov.au/our-work/nlcsp.