Lung cancer screening in Lancashire and South Cumbria
A 30 minute appointment could save your life
Why is lung cancer screening important?
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.
What is lung cancer screening?
Lung cancer screening is a two-stage process to help assess the health of your lungs. You will receive an invite for a telephone lung health check. You may then be invited for a low dose CT scan.
Who will receive an invite from their GP?
If you are eligible, you’ll get a letter 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 there is a lung health check.
Where is the screening?
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
Don’t worry if you haven’t had an invite, we are rolling out practice by practice.
Current location
Invites are currently being sent to patients in Fylde and Wyre, and the mobile CT scanner will move around convenient locations in the local area. These include the Affinity Centre in Fleetwood, and Fairhaven carpark in Lytham.
We aim to invite all eligible patients in Fylde and Wyre by the end of Summer 2025.
Ongoing locations
Screening is offered on a rolling basis, which means we will return to your area every 2 years.
Screening has previously been offered to residents living in Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire. If you live in one of these areas and previously missed screening, look out for an invitation when we next return to your area.
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 not previously engaged with the screening programme, you will be sent an invitation every 2 years when we return to your area.
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.