Project Overview
According to Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics, lung cancer ranks first in cancer mortality and third in cancer incidence in both Taiwan and Taoyuan City. Risk factors for lung cancer include tobacco use, family history, asbestos exposure, chronic lung inflammation, air pollution, biomass burning, cooking fumes, and radiation exposure. Smoking accounts for 70-80% of cases, while secondhand smoke exposure also increases lung cancer mortality risk - people living with smokers have a 20-30% higher risk of developing lung cancer compared to the general population. Besides avoiding risk factors to reduce lung cancer probability, early detection can significantly improve survival rates.
Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening is currently the only internationally proven tool for early lung cancer detection. Starting March 1, 2023, Taoyuan City Government led the nation in launching an expanded lung cancer screening program. The program initially provides free LDCT lung cancer screening services to 25,000 Taoyuan residents aged 40 and above who have risk factors in four major categories: “tobacco exposure,” “relevant medical and family history,” “occupational exposure,” and “air pollution and cooking fumes exposure.” This enables early detection and treatment, implementing the three-level, five-stage public health prevention principle.
Implementation Benefits
(1) 80% of Diagnosed Lung Cancer Cases Are Early Stage, Significantly Higher Than Before Program Implementation
As of December 31, 2023, over 22,000 people applied for screening, with more than 18,000 completing examination and interpretation. 1,241 positive cases were identified, representing a 6.7% positivity rate (positive cases/completed interpretations). Among these, 85 people were diagnosed with lung cancer, with 86% (73/85) being early-stage (Stage 0-1) cases and 14% (12/85) late-stage cases, yielding a detection rate of 0.46% (confirmed cases/completed interpretations). This marks a significant improvement compared to 2020, when 51.1% of lung cancer diagnoses were Stage 4. The increased early detection enables timely treatment, with continued monitoring of positive cases to ensure citizen health.
(2) Nearly NT$100 Million Saved in Healthcare Costs
According to the 2022 National Health Insurance database statistics for top ten cancer medical expenditures, tracheal, bronchial, and lung cancer treatments cost NT$22.4 billion. Based on Ministry of Health and Welfare data from May 2023, with 16,370 cases diagnosed in 2020, the estimated per-person healthcare cost is NT$1.37 million. With 73 early-stage cases identified through this program, approximately NT$100 million in healthcare costs have been saved, not including social and family costs.
(3) Developing Taoyuan Risk Map
As an industrial city, Taoyuan is using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to create a risk map of positive cases for more targeted health services and resource allocation. Monthly screening data updates show positive case distribution across different areas. Combined with diagnosed patients’ employment history, lifestyle, and living environment data, this helps monitor health risk distribution throughout Taoyuan, leading to improvements in living and working environments for a healthier, more livable city.
(4) Improving Citizen Health and Welfare, Reducing Information Inequality
Previously, working class and disadvantaged groups often neglected their health while supporting the city’s operations. Taoyuan City’s expanded lung cancer screening program has changed this by actively raising awareness about lung cancer through various channels including radio, television, Facebook, LINE official accounts, and posters. The program ensures access to screening for all eligible high-risk groups regardless of income or occupation, achieving equitable distribution of health resources, reducing healthcare access inequality, raising health awareness, and strengthening social cohesion.