A groundbreaking initiative in Jiangxi province has transformed routine health checkups into life-saving interventions for thousands of residents. The province-wide lung cancer screening program, launched as part of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), has already made a significant impact by detecting early-stage lung cancer in numerous individuals who showed no symptoms. One such beneficiary is 68-year-old Wen Jianping from Nanchang, whose routine physical examination in May revealed a 22-millimeter nodule in his lung. Following a successful 14-hour surgery on June 30, Wen is now fully recovered and back at work. His case underscores the critical importance of early detection, as emphasized by Wang Hui, chief thoracic surgeon at the First Hospital of Nanchang. ‘Most early-stage lung cancers cause no symptoms,’ Wang noted. ‘Only through low-dose CT scans can they be detected early, significantly improving survival rates and quality of life.’ The program offers free low-dose CT scans to residents aged 50 to 74, whether they are natives or have lived in Jiangxi for at least six months. Another success story involves Tan, a resident of Duchang county, whose casual decision to undergo a scan revealed a high-risk 9-mm nodule. Prompt surgical intervention confirmed it as minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, an extremely early stage of lung cancer. Tan’s experience inspired five of his relatives and friends to get screened, with three discovering nodules and one diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer. By October, the program had conducted health questionnaires for 3.3 million people and low-dose CT scans for 506,600 residents, identifying over 60,000 positive nodules and 8,000 suspected lung cancer cases. Among 900 confirmed cases, more than 75% were early-stage, highlighting the program’s effectiveness. Funded entirely by the government, the initiative has mobilized community health service centers across Nanchang to identify high-risk groups through questionnaires and ensure free access to screenings. This proactive approach has not only saved lives but also raised awareness about the importance of early detection in combating lung cancer.