Germany rolls out low‑dose CT lung cancer screening at Asklepios clinics

On World Lung Cancer Day 2026, Asklepios Kliniken GmbH & Co. KGaA launched a nationwide structured lung‑cancer screening programme for people with an elevated risk who are covered by Germany’s statutory health insurance. The service uses low‑dose computed tomography (LD‑CT) analysed with AI support and provides immediate referral to certified lung‑cancer centres, starting at the Asklepios Lung Clinic in Gauting and shortly expanding to centres in Hamburg. Prof. Dr. Bastian Sabel, head of radiology at the Gauting clinic, said early detection can change therapeutic options and improve survival.

The programme targets adults aged 50 and older, a group in which more than 57,000 new lung‑cancer cases are diagnosed each year in Germany. Parallel to this launch, the Lungenkrebszentrum Mittelhessen highlighted its interdisciplinary approach, offering second‑opinion consultations, weekly tumour‑board meetings and access to modern treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted drugs. According to the Robert Koch‑Institut, about 58,300 new cases were recorded in 2023, underscoring the need for heightened awareness of symptoms like persistent cough, blood‑streaked sputum, breathlessness, unexplained weight loss and incidental lung nodules on imaging.