Lung cancer screening

The programme is designed to offer lung screening to people with a high risk of developing lung cancer, and to identify lung cancer at an early stage when it is much more treatable.

• To date, over 300 people have been diagnosed with lung cancer through lung cancer screening in the Lancashire area.
• 75% of lung cancers found through a screening programme are at stage 1 or 2.
• 98% of people who attend screening are reassured that their lungs are healthy.
• Only 2% of people who have a lung screening CT scan will get a cancer diagnosis.

Due to the success of the programme, the Government has announced that lung cancer screening will become a national screening programme and be rolled out across the whole of England by 2030.

Lung cancer screening is a two-stage process to help assess the health of your lungs.

1. Telephone appointment - It begins with a telephone call where a nurse will ask a series of questions to evaluate your chance of developing lung cancer.
2. CT scan - If you are identified as someone who is at an increased risk of developing lung cancer you will be invited for a CT scan of your lungs.

If you are a current smoker, you will also be offered help and support for if you wish to quit smoking.

If you are worried about a symptom of lung cancer, please do not wait until you are invited for a lung health check. Contact your GP as soon as possible. There are usually no signs or symptoms of lung cancer in the early stages. Symptoms develop as the condition progresses.

Symptoms may include:

• A persistent cough or change in your normal cough
• Coughing up blood
• Being short of breath
• Unexplained tiredness or weight loss
• An ache or pain when breathing or coughing
• Appetite loss

For more information on the signs and symptoms, visit the nhs.uk website: Lung cancer - Symptoms - NHS (www.nhs.uk)