Singapore, Sept. 28 -- As Asia Pacific economies grapple with ageing populations, shrinking workforces and rising healthcare expenditure, they are also at the center of the global fight against lung cancer. The region represents 60% of global lung cancer cases and deaths, with around 1.5 million people diagnosed across the region each year.

Lung cancer is more than a public health challenge - it is increasingly an economic and societal issue, as it can drive productivity losses, direct health system costs and the often-invisible knock on impact on caregivers and families.

A major opportunity to tilt the balance in this fight is the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a key intergovernmental forum in the region, which is working to...