AstraZeneca Pharma India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Telangana to introduce artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled lung cancer screening across public healthcare facilities in the state. The collaboration aims to strengthen early detection and improve outcomes for patients in both urban and rural areas.
Lung cancer is among the most pressing public health challenges in India today. National incidence is projected to rise from approximately 63,700 cases in 2015 to over 81,200 by 2025, a 27% increase over the decade, driven by tobacco use, environmental pollution, and critically, the near absence of routine screening.
Telangana reflects these national pressures acutely. The state is projected to record 46,762 new cancer cases among adults in 2026, rising to 47,314 by 2030, an estimated 13% increase by 2027. Women bear a disproportionate share, with 25,510 new cases expected this year against 21,252 in men.
Under the MoU, AstraZeneca will facilitate the deployment of Qure.ai's AI-powered chest X-ray solution to be integrated into routine workflows at public health facilities across Telangana.
The technology helps clinicians flag the high-risk pulmonary nodules, a predominant precursor of lung cancer along with 29 other lung conditions. The high-risk patients will be triaged for lung cancer confirmation or future follow up to ensure stage-shift of lung cancer at diagnosis. A similar model has already been adopted in Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
The initiative is expected to roll out across 20 public health facilities, covering urban and rural health systems. It includes training and upskilling of healthcare professionals to support effective and sustainable adoption, as well as infrastructure enhancements where needed to ensure seamless integration into the public health system.
