$1 million for earlier detection of lung cancer

The University of Queensland and The Prince Charles Hospital will lead a new centre dedicated to the early detection of lung cancer thanks to $1 million in funding from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF). The establishment of the ACRF Centre for Lung Cancer Early Detection was announced at the ACRF awards dinner in Sydney last night. Director of the UQ Thoracic Research Centre Professor Kwun Fong said the new Centre would focus on the discovery and development of innovative methods for early stage detection of lung cancer. "Lung cancer remains the biggest cause of cancer deaths in Australia and worldwide and has a very low five-year survival rate in comparison to many other common cancer types," he said. "Early detection can therefore significantly improve health and treatment outcomes for patients with lung cancer. "We are very honoured to receive the ACRF grant to support research into early detection of lung cancer. "It will be a major boost for lung cancer research that has been long underfunded in Australia.