In a groundbreaking alliance announced, the Florida Lung Health Coalition and DELFI Diagnostics, supported by RadNet, Inc. (NASDAQ: RDNT), and the American Lung Association, are collaborating to launch a pioneering initiative to transform lung cancer screening and detection in Florida. 

This new program, announced ahead of Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November, aims to significantly boost early detection rates in Florida where lung cancer screening rates are at only 15.8%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.¹ The initiative will be funded through grants and corporate sponsorships by the partners, and it brings together leading healthcare organizations to address the critical need for accessible and efficient lung cancer screening.

Eligible patients of primary care practices affiliated with the Florida Lung Health Coalition will be offered the FirstLook Lung test—a simple, convenient, and highly sensitive blood test. If a FirstLook blood test result returns "Elevated," the individual will be referred to a low-dose CT (LDCT) scan. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines recommend annual lung cancer screening for individuals who are 50 to 80 years old, who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

"This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our fight against lung cancer," said Dr. Mathew Ninan, Director and National Co-Chair of Thoracic Oncology, HCA-Sarah Cannon Cancer Network, and Board President of Florida Lung Health Coalition. "By combining our expertise and innovative technologies, we're creating a model that could revolutionize how we approach early detection."

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer is 64% when the cancer is detected early.² This contrasts with the 9% survival rate for late-stage lung cancer. This initiative aims to introduce a new blood-based, patient-preferred testing option³ that may increase screening rates among high-risk populations.

"While lung cancer leads all cancers in mortality, fewer than one in four cases are diagnosed at an early stage," said Tim Merchant, Executive Director of the Florida Lung Health Coalition and National Director at RadNet. "We are leading the mission to reduce the burden of lung cancer by advancing efforts to equip health systems with earlier detection programs."

"We are thankful that these dedicated and experienced organizations have selected the FirstLook Lung test as a potential solution for improving lung cancer screening rates in Florida," stated Dr. Peter Bach, Chief Medical Officer of DELFI Diagnostics. "Our test helps identify those patients who are most likely to benefit from LDCT screening, which our partners can then provide at the highest levels of quality."

"Lung cancer is a tremendous burden on individuals, families, and the healthcare system in the U.S. Thankfully, we are seeing incredible strides in research investigating new treatments for this disease," said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. "Collaborations like this are critical to improving early detection, improving lives of people living with lung disease and ultimately, saving lives."