November is internationally recognized as Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a time when countries worldwide highlight the severity of lung cancer and emphasize the importance of early diagnosis. This period also witnesses a concerted effort to promote medical technology innovation and policy shifts aimed at combating this deadly disease.
According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in South Korea, accounting for 21.9% of all cancer fatalities. Known as a “silent cancer,” lung cancer often shows symptoms late, making early detection challenging. While the five-year relative survival rate stands at only 41%, early-stage detection can increase survival rates to as high as 80%, positioning early diagnosis as a crucial priority in clinical practice.
The medical community regards lung cancer as the most complex and challenging cancer to diagnose and treat. It requires not only identifying nodules but also assessing multiple comorbidities such as coronary artery calcification, emphysema, bronchiectasis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This complex diagnostic process has delayed the widespread institutionalization of lung cancer screening and remains hampered by issues such as difficulty in high-risk group screening, false positives, and a shortage of qualified radiologists.
Meanwhile, the global landscape is accelerating the institutionalization of lung cancer screening. Between 2024 and 2026, several countries including European nations and Australia are actively implementing low-dose computed tomography (LDCT)-based screening programs. Australia plans to roll out its National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) in July 2025, while Germany has approved LDCT screening for inclusion in statutory health insurance coverage starting in 2025, with full implementation expected in 2026. France is also conducting pilot projects targeting high-risk populations aged 50-74. The European Union officially recommended lung cancer screening in 2022, marking a paradigm shift toward prevention-centered cancer diagnosis.
Reflecting this global trend, South Korean AI companies are also participating actively in shaping European standards for lung cancer screening. Coreline Soft has demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy and operational efficiency through various European projects and diagnostic programs. Notably, in Germany, AI is recommended as the primary tool for lung cancer screening, and the French National Cancer Institute (INCa) selected the company’s AI-based chest diagnostic solution as the sole supplier for the ‘IMPULSION’ pilot project.
While artificial intelligence was once misunderstood as replacing clinicians, it has now evolved into a ‘co-pilot’ collaboration infrastructure that enhances medical judgment and workflow efficiency. Lung cancer screening, in particular, has moved beyond simple nodule detection to extracting information about various comorbidities—such as cardiovascular calcification—from a single low-dose CT scan, thus improving both efficiency and profitability of screening. This integrated health screening approach offers patients a more comprehensive and convenient diagnostic experience.
To support this advancement, Coreline Soft recently launched 'AVIEW HUB', a platform that centralizes multi-hospital image management, facilitating not only image analysis but also workflow management, quality control, and cross-checks, thereby establishing a core infrastructure for nationwide screening programs.
A more critical development lies in shifting focus from “single algorithm performance” to building resilient and sustainable capabilities for nationwide screening operations. Standardizing data, ensuring security, maintaining quality control, and establishing governance to support clinicians’ final judgments are vital components influencing the success of national screening initiatives.
As European countries move from pilot projects to full-scale institutionalization, the remaining challenges are clear: continuous measurement of accuracy and reproducibility, transparent handling of personal data and access rights, reducing hospital-to-hospital variations through quality assurance loops, and providing explainable reports to enhance patient experience. Only balanced solutions addressing these four key areas can establish the true standard for screening.
The question of whether South Korea’s medical AI can become part of this global standard has shifted from rhetorical to fundamental. It depends on clinical validation, operational expansion, and the creation of trust that sustains capability and influence. Coreline Soft’s AVIEW and HUB offer a system designed to “detect more, explain faster, and share more securely.” In the upcoming quarter, real-world European metrics will likely demonstrate whether this vision can be realized.
