Lung cancer prevention with NDTK

Lung cancer prevention with NDTK

The National Health Fund announced the start of recruitment of medical facilities that will implement a new, free lung cancer prevention program.

According to the fund, the key element of the program is low-dose chest computed tomography (NDCT), an imaging test that enables the detection of cancer lesions at a very early stage. This gives you the best chance of recovery.

Low-dose computed tomography is a safe diagnostic method in which the radiation dose is much lower than with standard chest tomography, while maintaining high image quality.

When can you apply for the program?

The National Health Fund announced that the first patients will be able to sign up for free lung tomography in October 2026.

The program is financed by the National Health Fund and does not require a referral. All you need to do is report directly to a medical facility that has an agreement with the National Health Fund to implement this program.

The service will be provided stationary and mobile.

Who can benefit from free tests?

The free NDTK test is available to people aged 50-74 with a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years (current or former smokers) who meet additional criteria specified in the regulation of the Minister of Health.

What are "parcels"?

According to the National Health Fund, the "pack-years" indicator is calculated by multiplying the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day by the years of smoking. Example: one pack (20 cigarettes) a day for 20 years is 20 pack-years. Smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years gives the same result.

Program budget

The program is free of charge and the tests are unlimited, which means that the National Health Fund will pay for each patient who uses the program.

The annual budget for the implementation of the lung cancer prevention program is estimated at approximately PLN 16 million. In a ten-year perspective, the National Health Fund's expenditure on free lung tomography for risk groups may exceed PLN 662 million.

Why is early detection of cancer so important?

According to the National Health Fund, according to data from the National Cancer Registry from 2022, approximately 20.7 thousand cases are recorded annually in Poland. new cases of lung cancer, and almost 26 thousand people die because of it. This accounts for over one fifth of all cancer deaths. Medical forecasts indicate that by 2029 the number of new cases may increase up to 32.5 thousand. annually.

The main challenge in the fight against this disease is its late detection. The first symptoms of lung cancer often appear only at an advanced stage. Tobacco smoking remains a serious risk factor: up to 85-90%. disease is associated with cigarette smoking.