Awareness Month highlights the importance of detecting lung cancer early

The NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria is marking Lung Cancer Awareness Month by highlighting the importance of early detection and the prospects of improved treatment and outcome.

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers, which often gets diagnosed too late for curative treatment.

However, Dr Shahedal Bari, a senior consultant at University Hospitals Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and Lung Cancer lead for Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), has said that the treatment and diagnostics around lung cancer have been improved significantly in recent years.

He said: “Many people get diagnosed with lung cancer every year and there are thousands of people who die each year in UK. However, the diagnostics of lung cancer have improved and the treatment has opened new horizons, giving us lots of options to treat and cure lung cancer.

“Surgical interventions for curative treatment of cancer has reached 30 per cent of cases compared to just 10 per cent 10 years ago.

“The earlier you get diagnosed the better the chances.”

The main message of the November awareness month campaign - which has also coincided with World Radiography Day and the 129th anniversary of the world’s first x-ray - is that early detection saves lives.

Lung cancer symptoms to watch for include:

• A cough lasting three weeks or more
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Unexplained weight loss and tiredness
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing out blood for two weeks 

People experiencing these symptoms should seek advice from their GP.

Treatment may include immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which are all available within the region. 

Dr Bari continued: "Lung cancer is more common in smokers, however non-smokers can get it as well.

“A persistent cough for more than three weeks, coughing up blood, chest or shoulder pain, tiredness, unintentional weight loss, shortness of breath and wheezing are all common symptoms, and if you experience these, please seek help from your GP to get yourself checked.”

In parts of the region, Targeted Lung Health Checks are taking place, with more locations taking part in the programme from 2025.

If you are aged 55 to 74 and have been a smoker, you may be invited by your GP to take part in a lung health check. More often than not, no issues will be found, but those at risk will receive a CT scan.

Since the programme began in 2021, more than 45,000 in Lancashire and South Cumbria have received lung health checks, leading to more than 20,000 CT scans and over 280 cases of lung cancer detected.

Nationally, more than three-quarters of the lung cancers identified by the programme were found at the earliest stages of one and two, when it is potentially curable. People diagnosed with lung cancer at the earliest stages are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years than those whose cancer is caught late.

Dr John Howells, clinical director for lung health checks in Lancashire and South Cumbria, said: “There are often no signs or symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage, and sadly it is often diagnosed too late to be cured.

"As a direct result of this vital lung health check service, we are now seeing more people than ever before successfully treated for lung cancer, which was diagnosed early before any symptoms developed.”

If you are worried about any of the lung cancer symptoms, please do not wait until you are invited for a lung health check. Contact your GP as soon as possible.