Kaeho Lee Urges Urgent Introduction of 'Mobile CT' for Lung Cancer Screening in Rural Areas

"Addressing Regional Disparities and Rural Exclusion"

Kaeho Lee, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Kaeho Lee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Damyang, Hampyeong, Yeonggwang, and Jangseong in South Jeolla Province, pointed out the issue of regional disparities in the national lung cancer screening program during the National Assembly audit of the National Cancer Center on October 22. He urged the introduction of a pilot project for a 'mobile low-dose chest CT (LDCT)' screening service for residents in rural and island regions.

This stems from the recognition that the current lung cancer screening system, which is centered around the Seoul metropolitan area, disadvantages local residents. Lee emphasized the importance of ensuring medical equity and early diagnosis of lung cancer.

Since its transition to a full-scale program in 2019, the national lung cancer screening initiative has seen steady quantitative growth, with the screening rate rising from 30.2% in 2019 to 54.6% in 2024, and the rate of early cancer detection also increasing. However, disparities in accessibility and screening quality between regions have yet to be resolved. In particular, residents of rural and island areas face significant physical and economic barriers, including a round trip of two to three hours to the National Cancer Center and indirect costs such as transportation and meals amounting to 30,000 to 50,000 won.

Additionally, while the National Cancer Center demonstrates high accuracy in interpretation and follow-up rates, some designated screening institutions in rural areas fail to conduct the required annual quality assurance (QA) checks or do not comply with the standard interpretation and reporting system (Lung-RADS). This gap in screening quality arises not from systemic discrimination, but from imbalances in personnel, training, and infrastructure.

Lee stressed, "Lung cancer screening is a national program where early detection saves lives. No one should experience delayed diagnosis or miss screening opportunities simply because of where they live." He called on the National Cancer Center to take the lead in establishing a mobile screening system and regional quality management framework for rural and island areas.

In response, Han-Kwang Yang, President of the National Cancer Center, stated, "I fully share your concerns. Since accessing general hospitals is difficult in the provinces, we will actively review mobile CT-based screening and integrated mobile support programs for cancer screening at the National Cancer Center level."