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Located in the west Pacific between Japan and the Philippines, the Republic of China has a population of more than 23 million people. Malignant tumors are the leading cause of death in the Republic of China, and lung cancer is the main cause of death for male and female individuals with cancers. 1 In 2018, the five-year survival rate of lung cancer was approximately 26.5%. Between 1998 and 2018, the number of lung cancer deaths increased from 5749 to 9388. Approximately 70% of the 14,282 individuals diagnosed as having cancers of the lung, bronchus, or trachea in 2017 had stage III or IV lung cancer. These statistics reveal the severe threat of lung cancer to the health and well-being of the Taiwanese people. 2

In 1995, the Taiwanese government implemented the National Health Insurance (NHI) program to improve the efficiency, accessibility, and coverage of health care. The program is compulsory for …