Abstract Introduction Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Ireland, representing a major public health challenge. Early detection and timely intervention are crucial in improving survival outcomes; however, delays in diagnosis remain common due to non-specific nature of presenting symptoms and the complexity of diagnostic pathways.To address these challenges, the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) established Rapid Access Lung Cancer clinics (RALC) nationwide, designed to provide streamlined, multidisciplinary evaluation for patients with suspected lung malignancy. Methods + Materials A retrospective analysis, of a prospectively maintained database of all patients seen in RALC, in Saint Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH), during the month of January 2025. The data included the age, gender, referral source, type of cancer and subsequent treatment. Results In the month of January 2025, a total of 73 patients were seen in our RALC with an average age of 66.49. The gender was evenly spread, 42 males and 31 females. The referral source varied with the most common being from our General Practioner colleagues accounting for 43 of the 73 referrals, followed by other hospitals accounting for 12, Emergency department 10 and other medical teams 8. After reviewing the patients and performing the required investigations, ranging from scans and more invasive procedures such as biopsies, a total of 17 out of 73 patients were diagnosed with a malignancy ( 12 Lung primary; Squamous 6, Adenocarcinoma 6, remaining malignancies were metastatic lesions) Discussion The implementation of the RALC model has demonstrated significant benefits in expediting the diagnostic pathway for patients with suspected lung malignancy in Ireland.Our findings highlight that early access to specialist assessment and prompt radiological and pathological evaluation not only improves time-to-diagnosis but also facilitates earlier staging and treatment planning. This is particularly critical in lung cancer, where prognosis is closely linked to stage at diagnosis.Despite these advances, challenges remain. A significant proportion of referrals continue to be for benign or non-malignant conditions, suggesting the need for ongoing education of primary care providers regarding referral criteria. Resource limitations, including access to CT-guided biopsy and PET-CT, can also create diagnostic bottlenecks.Future directions include refining referral guidelines, enhancing integration between primary and secondary care, and developing standardized data collection to support national benchmarking. Expansion of virtual triage and digital health tools could further streamline patient flow.Overall, the RALC model represents an effective and scalable approach to improving lung cancer outcomes in the Irish healthcare system through earlier diagnosis and multidisciplinary collaboration. This abstract is funded by: None
Al-Mukhaizeem et al. (Fri,) studied this question.