Lung cancer screening in Canada: 2021/2022

About this section

A rapid diagnosis initiative for lung cancer is defined as any initiative implemented to shorten the average wait time from clinical suspicion of lung cancer to diagnosis. Patients typically enter rapid diagnosis initiatives at the time of referral for diagnostic imaging and exit at the date of diagnosis. This section describes rapid diagnosis initiatives for lung cancer.

Rapid diagnosis initiatives for lung cancer

Seven provinces currently have a rapid diagnosis initiative implemented, while an initiative is in development in PE.

patient with their healthcare provider

Rapid diagnosis initiatives for lung cancer in Canada

Province/Territory Initiative name Location of initiative
YT No rapid diagnosis initiative
NT No rapid diagnosis initiative
NU No rapid diagnosis initiative
BC BC Cancer Interventional Pulmonology (started 2014)
LEAP (started 2019)
Cancer centre, Hospital
AB Alberta Thoracic Oncology Program Cancer centre
SK No rapid diagnosis initiative
MB Cancer Patient Journey Initiative (Lung Cancer Pathway)
ON Lung diagnostic assessment Hospital (level 1 thoracic centres)
QC Rapid lung investigation window Hospital
NB No rapid diagnosis initiative
NS Thoracic Malignancy Referral Management Pilot Hospital (tertiary/quaternary)
PE In development
NL Thoracic Triage Panel of Eastern Health

Criteria for entering rapid diagnosis pathway

P/T Criteria for entering rapid diagnosis pathway Point of entry into rapid diagnosis initiative Point of exit out of rapid diagnosis initiative
YT
NT
NU
BC · Date of receipt of referral · Date of diagnosis or rule out of cancer and treatment referral
AB · Date of receipt of referral · Point of exit would be date of initial treatment decision
SK
MB · Clinical suspicion (primary care orders CT) · First surgery, chemotherapy or RT
ON · In the OLSP*, referral to lung diagnostic assessment is facilitated directly by the screening program via the screening navigator as per the reporting radiologist’s recommendation – the individual does not need to be referred back to primary care for follow-up
· Referral is based on Lung-RADS® score
· Screening participants with a Lung-RADS® score of 4B or 4X are referred for lung diagnostic assessment
· Date of receipt of referral for patients with abnormal imaging · Date of diagnosis or rule out of cancer
QC · Detection of a pulmonary nodule greater than or equal to 8mm · Detection of a pulmonary nodule greater than or equal to 8mm · Diagnosis established and investigation completed
NB
NS · Date of receipt of referral by thoracic surgeon · Date of decision regarding the initial treatment recommendation
PE
NL · Date of receipt of referral to triage panel for patients with diagnostic imaging report suggesting malignancy · Date of completion of diagnostic investigations

ON: *Ontario Lung Screening Program