Tbilisi City Hall is to begin funding a lung cancer screening programme from May 1. Such a statement made today the Mayor of Tbilisi.

“We have helped countless families and individuals through the projects of our City Health and Social Services Agency. Tbilisi City Hall is now taking the next step by funding a lung cancer screening programme. From May 1, the procedure will be entirely free of charge for eligible residents and will be financed by the City Health and Social Services Agency under its Disease Screening Programme. Active smokers aged between 45 and 75 who are registered in the capital, as well as those who quit within the last 15 years, will be entitled to a free lung cancer screening.

The parameters of the screening programme, including the eligible age range, were determined in close consultation with leading specialists in oncology, radiology and pulmonology. Participating clinics and expert practitioners were selected based on their experience and qualifications… The screening will involve a low-dose computed tomography scan, which will be read independently by 2 radiologists. In the event of differing assessments, a case conference will be convened with the involvement of a 3rd radiologist.

Tbilisi City Hall has selected leading clinics that meet the required standards in terms of specialist expertise and technical infrastructure to deliver the programme. At this stage, 16 medical institutions located across different parts of the capital will be participating in the programme.

The lung cancer ranks 1st in the world for cancer-related mortality, and that screening of high-risk individuals aids in early detection and can increase survival rates by as much as 70%”, - said Kakha Kaladze.