What is lung cancer screening in Lancashire and South Cumbria?
The lung cancer screening taking place in Lancashire and South Cumbria, looks to find lung cancer early, often before you notice that anything is wrong.
Lung cancer screening is a two-stage process to help assess the health of your lungs. The first stage is a telephone appointment, where you will be asked a series of questions by a nurse to assess your risk of lung cancer.
If you are deemed high risk, you will then be offered a low-dose CT scan at a convenient location in the community.
Why is lung cancer screening in Lancashire and South Cumbria important?
The Importance of Lung Cancer Screening in Lancashire and South Cumbria: Saving Lives Through Early Diagnosis.
There are often no signs or symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage. As a result, sadly around 7 in 10 lung cancer patients are currently being diagnosed too late to be cured.
Lung cancer screening helps to find problems early (often before you notice anything is wrong) and at a stage when treatment could be simpler and more successful – ultimately saving more lives.
- 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.
It is important to attend your appointment, even if you feel well.
Who is invited for lung cancer screening in Lancashire and South Cumbria?
Eligibility for Lung Cancer Screening in Lancashire and South Cumbria: Who will receive an invitation to get tested?
- aged between 55 and 74
- and a current or former smoker (and this is recorded on your medical history)
- and registered with a GP surgery
- and live in an area where there is a lung health check.
The NHS are rolling out targeted lung cancer screening across England. Currently, lung health checks are only available in some parts of England. They will be available everywhere by 2029.
Where is the lung cancer screening in Lancashire and South Cumbria taking place?
Lung cancer screening is rolling out across Lancashire and South Cumbria. We aim to rollout to the whole of Lancashire and South Cumbria by 2030. So far, we have covered:
- Blackpool
- Blackburn with Darwen
- East Lancashire
- Fylde and Wyre.
Current location: Preston
Invites are currently being sent to eligible residents living in the Preston area.
If you are eligible for a CT scan, this will be carried out on a mobile van in a convenient Preston location.
Don’t worry if you haven’t had an invite, we are rolling out practice by practice.
Ongoing locations
Screening is offered on a rolling basis, which means we will return to your area every 2 years.
If you have previously attended a CT scan as part of the screening programme, you will be invited back every 2 years for a follow-up scan. It is important that you attend each time you are invited, to check if there have been any changes in the last 2 years.
What happens at an appointment?
Screening is a 2-stage process. You will firstly receive an invite in the post with instructions how to book your telephone appointment, at a time that is convenient for you.
Telephone appointment
At your telephone appointment, the nurse will ask you questions about your breathing, lifestyle, and family and medical history.
If the results suggest you are not at high risk of developing lung cancer, then there are no further stages to the screening process.
If the results suggest you are at an increased risk, you will be invited for a low-dose CT scan.
CT scan
The CT scan is done in a mobile scanning unit in your local area, to make it as easy as possible for you to get to.
The CT scan will only take a few minutes and does not hurt. During the scan, the bed moves in and out of the scanner. Your head and legs stay outside of the scanner and you do not go into an enclosed space.
This is a very common scan and is no cause for concern. Around half of the people who have telephone screening appointment will be invited for a CT scan.
When will I get my results?
Once you have had the scan, you will receive a letter or a call with your results within 4 weeks of the CT scan. This will tell you what happens next.
How often will I be invited?
Screening is offered on a rolling 2 year basis. If you have previously had a scan, you will be re-invited every 2 years up until your 74th birthday for a follow-up scan, to check nothing has changed.
If you have previously received an invitation and would now like to attend, please contact the team at lscicb.lungscreening.enquiries@nhs.net.
Have questions about screening?
Click here for more information about lung cancer screening. Alternatively, if you have any questions about lung cancer screening, you can contact our Ask the Nurse service on 0800 358 7200 or email lungcancerhelp@roycastle.org.
If you have any questions about the Lancashire and South Cumbria screening programme, please contact the team at lscicb.tlhc.enquiries@nhs.net