Call for Proposals to Pilot and Implement Cancer Screening Programmes for Lung Cancer

This action aims to contribute to lung cancer screening programmes, enhancing early detection and programme efficiency, aligned with the 2022 Council Recommendation on cancer screening. Focus areas include assessment of AI use in ongoing pilot programmes, exploring potential AI applications, synergies with the European Cancer Imaging Initiative, particularly the Cancer Image Europe platform, and advancing AI adoption in health through a related call from the 2024 EU4Health Work Programme.

The call supports implementation research through new pilots and rollout initiatives by monitoring on-going implementation studies, defining needs and planning new studies based on gap analyses derived from the SOLACE project, supporting and coordinating implementation studies within Member States, and linking regional and national studies to reduce duplication and optimize resources for greater impact. It also facilitates aggregation and analysis of cancer imaging datasets to enable cross-border multi-centric cooperation on AI studies and development of AI algorithms for lung cancer screening. The call supports the collection and assessment of benefits, harms, quality assurance, and cost-effectiveness data regarding lung cancer screening programmes based on established methods and infrastructure from previous EU4Health projects. Experts and representatives from European medical societies and patient organisations will be linked to ensure broad outreach, effective dissemination, and bidirectional knowledge exchange concerning lung cancer screening with all Member States and relevant candidate countries.

Furthermore, collaboration extends to related projects such as prostate and gastric cancer screening programmes, the Joint Action Implementation of cancer screening programmes (EUCanScreen) from the 2023 EU4Health work programme, and alignment with the Commission’s Joint Research Centre outputs and the planned Commission Initiative on Lung Cancer. Artificial intelligence’s potential for lung cancer screening is explored in synergy with the European Cancer Imaging Initiative to accelerate the adoption of AI-based screening technologies.

Expected deliverables include reports on pilot programmes, implementation studies, and the benefits and harms related to lung cancer screening. The establishment of networks involving lung cancer screening experts and representatives from medical societies and patient organisations is anticipated, along with launching lung cancer screening implementation studies incorporating AI, smoking cessation support, and equity perspectives to cover underrepresented or vulnerable subpopulations.

This call aligns with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan objectives to ensure high standards in cancer care and implements the EU4Health Programme’s objectives to improve health and reduce disease burdens across the Union.

The estimated EU contribution for this topic is € 7,440,000.

For more information, visit EC.