Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in Europe, responsible for over 250,000 deaths annually. It is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, when treatment options are more limited. Screening people at increased risk with low-dose CT scans can help detect lung cancer earlier and can help save lives.
However, introducing effective screening programmes involves more than providing scans. Programmes also need to reach the people most likely to benefit, support smoking cessation and make the best possible use of the information the scans provide.
Smoking is the main risk factor for lung cancer. Lung cancer screening therefore offers an opportunity not only to detect the disease earlier, but also to support participants who smoke in quitting. The project will address how smoking cessation can be incorporated into screening programmes, so that prevention and early detection work alongside each other.
The project will support the 19 EU countries to design, plan, launch, evaluate and optimise low-dose CT-based lung cancer screening programmes and in implementing AI-assisted tools of lung scans, including the detection of lung nodules. These technologies support radiologists by improving detection accuracy, reducing reading time and enabling consistent quality across screening sites, while maintaining human oversight and clinical judgment.
Lung CT scans can also reveal signs of other conditions, including emphysema and coronary artery calcification. The latter can indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Identifying such findings may create opportunities for further assessment and care. The project will explore how screening programmes can make better use of this additional information.
Vliegenthart will co-lead the project scientifically alongside lung specialist Torsten Blum, based in Berlin. At UMCG, Vliegenthart will contribute to the scientific agenda and research activities, including work on coronary artery calcification.
UMCG epidemiologist Truuske de Bock will contribute to the economic evaluation of screening. Understanding the costs and potential benefits of screening programmes is important for countries deciding how to introduce and maintain them.
‘SOLACE+ works to prevent deaths from lung cancer by making lung cancer screening easier to access across Europe, especially for people who need it most’, Vliegenthart says. ‘The project connects clinicians and radiologists across Europe to share best practice, strengthen standards and integrate AI tools responsibly into lung cancer screening workflows.’
SOLACE+ brings together 46 partners from 22 EU Member States and Norway. From November 2026 to October 2029, they will work to support 19 countries in introducing or improving lung cancer screening programmes. SOLACE+ builds on the earlier SOLACE project, which screened more than 30,000 people in 11 countries. The project is co-funded by the EU4Health Programme and directly supports Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. SOLACE+ is coordinated by EIBIR (European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research).
