Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer screening is helping us diagnose lung cancer earlier and save lives.

It involves a simple check up to see how well your lungs are working. Screening is currently being rolled out across England and is available for people aged 55-74 years old who have ever smoked and registered with a participating GP practice in the area.

There are often no signs or symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage. Screening help us get ahead of lung cancer, finding lung cancer at its earliest stage when it is easier to treat with curative intent, often before you have any symptoms.

We like to think of screening as an MOT for your lungs. We get our cars checked every year to make sure everything is ok. Our lungs work hard every minute of our lives so it makes sense to do the same for ourselves. Most people who attend an appointment feel very reassured.

Where is screening available?

Lung cancer screening is currently available across England and is gradually being rolled out across the country. We are also campaigning for screening in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

If you’re eligible, you’ll get a letter, text message or phone call from your GP or a local NHS service inviting you to an appointment.

• You are aged between 55 and 74
• You are a current or former smoker (and this is recorded on your medical history)
• You are registered with a GP surgery
• You live in an area where screening is currently operating.

At present there is a lung cancer screening pilot in Wales covering certain areas of the Rhondda. 

In Scotland, a clinical trial called LungScot is being expanded from NHS Lothian across central Scotland.

There is no rollout at present in Northern Ireland. We are currently campaigning for the rollout of targeted national screening across the UK in line with evidence. If you are worried about lung cancer or want to find out about programmes in your local area you can either talk to your primary care team or call our Ask the Nurse service on 0800 358 7200 or email lungcancerhelp@roycastle.org

Your screening appointment

If you are eligible for screening, you will receive a letter from either your GP or the NHS inviting you for an appointment.

The programmes are gradually inviting eligible patients for screening – either region by region, or by age – so if you are eligible and haven’t received an invitation, don’t worry. It may just be that your local screening programme hasn’t reached your area or age bracket yet. You can contact your GP practice for further clarification.

In some locations, an appointment is automatically made for you while in others you will need to call and book the appointment yourself.

You should attend your screening appointment even if you feel well, have no respiratory symptoms or have not smoked for many years.

What happens at the appointment?

You will have an appointment with a nurse or healthcare practitioner in person, by phone or online. They will ask you some questions including information about:

• Your general health
• Your breathing
• Your overall lung health
• Your smoking history, and
• Any potential symptoms you may be experiencing.

The appointment will take between 30 and 45 minutes.

During the appointment, you will get the chance to ask any questions and discuss ways you can improve your overall lung health. If you are still smoking and would like some advice about quitting, the nurse can help with that too.

What happens after the initial appointment?

After you have had your appointment with the nurse, one of the following things will happen:

• You require no further appointments or follow ups. This is because the health check suggests you are not at higher risk of developing lung cancer
• You are referred to your GP. If the lung health check detects any problems with your lung health or your breathing, you may be referred back to your GP for a follow up appointment.
• You are offered a low CT scan of your lungs. This allows doctors to get a detailed picture of your lungs to check everything is ok. It is very common to be invited for a CT scan through these programmes and is no cause for concern. One of the main aims of screening is to diagnose lung cancer at the earliest opportunity, before any symptoms have occurred, so they are ultra cautious. A large proportion of those who attend a lung health check will be invited for a CT scan. The majority of those who have a scan will not have lung cancer.

If you are invited for a scan, it is done in either a mobile scanning unit in your local community, or a local hospital. The CT scan itself only takes a few minutes and does not hurt.

What is a CT scan?

A CT scan is a type of x-ray, but it involves more radiation than a standard chest x-ray and shows more detailed pictures. It is used to check for any signs of lung cancer and lung disease.

It is a quick and painless procedure. There is no need to prepare in any way such as fast or have any injection. You don’t have to have the scan if you don’t want to. However, if you do have lung cancer, the earlier it is caught the better. If it’s caught early, it can be cured.

You will receive a letter with your results within four weeks of the CT scan. This will tell you what happens next. If the scan shows anything concerning, you may be referred for further lung scans or treatment.

The benefits of screening

The majority people who go for screening will not have lung cancer. For those who do have, screening can help speed up diagnosis and increase your treatment options, including curative-intent treatment.

Currently 75% of people who have been diagnosed with lung cancer through the lung health check programme have been caught at stages 1 and 2.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is screening only available to people who smoke or used to smoke?

Currently, screening is available for people aged 55-74 who have ever smoked because they are at a higher risk of lung disease or lung cancer than people who have never smoked.

However, anyone can get lung cancer so if you have any concerns or are experiencing symptoms, contact your GP immediately.

I’m under 55. Can I be screened?

Under the current programme, screening available to people aged 55 to 74 with a smoking history. This is because your risk of lung cancer increases as you get older.

However, lung cancer can affect anyone at any age and so if you have any concerns or are experiencing potential lung cancer symptoms, please go to your doctor.

I’m eligible for screening. What do I need to do?

If you live an area where screening is being rolled out, are aged between 55 and 74 and have ever smoked, you will receive a letter, text message or phone call from your GP or the NHS. The letter will either have your appointment details on it or it will ask you to call to book your appointment.

Don’t worry if you haven’t been invited even if you meet the criteria for screening. Many of the programmes are staggering the invitations and working their way round the region so not everyone will be invited straightaway.

If you have any concerns about your lung health, or you are experiencing potential lung cancer symptoms including a persistent cough, breathlessness, fatigue, weight loss, chest pain or recurrent chest infections, do not wait to be invited for screening. You must contact your doctor.

I feel fine so why do I need to go?

You should attend your screening appointment even if you are well. Many people with early stage lung cancer have no symptoms. One of the main aims of this programme is to detect lung cancer at the earliest opportunity when it can be cured.