26 February, 2026
The SOLACE project (Strengthening the Screening of Lung Cancer in Europe) presented its key findings at the European Cancer Screening and Early Detection Policy Summit (17–18 February, Brussels). SOLACE is a three-year EU4Health-funded project, in which the ERS is a partner, focused on making lung cancer screening more accessible across Europe.
Over three years, SOLACE has screened more than 30,000 people across 11 countries in Europe, with a focus on reaching high-risk groups currently underrepresented in lung cancer screening, including women, people from marginalised communities, and those living with a lung condition.
Prof. Joanna Chorostowska-Wynimko, ERS President, SOLACE Co-Scientific Coordinator, and SOLACE lead for Poland, was a speaker in the event and highlighted the complexity of delivering screening across diverse healthcare systems. She said:
“The recruitment process proved to be one of the biggest challenges. But we have shown that we need tailored interventions, and we have to understand the cultural context of every targeted population. Implementing quality control at all stages of lung cancer screening is a must.”
The summit also saw the announcement of the European Lung Cancer Screening Alliance (ELCSA), established by ERS and the European Society of Radiology to sustain the collaborative networks built through SOLACE, while the SOLACE Knowledge Hub (hub.solacelung.eu) will continue to provide freely accessible resources for screening implementation.
As SOLACE concludes in March 2026, the consortium is working towards SOLACE+, a proposed next phase that, if funded, will support more countries in moving from pilots to national programmes.