Lung cancer screening scheme begins in South Devon

People in Torbay and South Devon who are at higher risk of lung cancer are being invited to take part in a new screening programme aimed at catching the disease earlier.

The NHS initiative is being rolled out for individuals aged 55 to 74 who have ever smoked and are registered with a participating GP practice in the area.

Over the next two years, around 45,000 people are expected to receive a letter offering an initial telephone consultation with a trained health professional. This triage call will assess the person’s risk of lung cancer and determine whether a free screening scan is required.

Those invited for screening will be referred to a mobile scanning unit, which  has been based initially at Sainsbury’s car park near the Penn Inn roundabout since May 1. The service will be delivered by healthcare provider InHealth.

According to the NHS, people diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years than those whose cancer is found later.

Dr Himali O’Regan, clinical lead for lung cancer screening at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This screening programme is absolutely vital in helping us detect lung cancer at the earliest opportunity.

“We're all human, and a lot of people do find the word cancer scary. But the thing to remember is that cancer treatment and diagnosis have changed so much, especially for lung cancer, in the last 10 years. We have really good surgical techniques, new radiotherapy techniques, and lots of new drugs that work really well.

“The earlier any form of cancer is detected, the better the outcome for the patient, as it gives us a better chance of achieving a cure.

“Any scans that identify urgent findings will result in the patient being invited to a dedicated screening clinic at Torbay Hospital for further investigation. Any non-urgent findings on CT scans will be communicated to the patient and GP directly.

“We are pleased to be working with InHealth to deliver this screening programme across Torbay and South Devon. It will help us identify those who need further care faster and give peace of mind to those who have a normal scan.

“Working with InHealth allows for a speedy detection process, allowing the Cancer Services Team at Torbay Hospital to focus on the treating of those who have cancer. This is why it is so important that anyone invited attends their lung cancer screening, even if they feel well.”

Geoff Searle, chief executive from InHealth, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this life-saving screening programme and already run several programmes across the country, so we’re happy to be delivering these services in the Torbay and South Devon area, where we already run a Community Diagnostic Centre.

“Working with our NHS partners, we have already identified around 14,000 people who could be potentially at a higher risk of contracting lung cancer, due partially to their history of smoking. We will be welcoming them for face-to-face nurse appointments and a CT scan so that if anything is detected, they can be referred to the Cancer Services Team at Torbay Hospital for further support.”

Michelle Weston from the Peninsula Cancer Alliance, which is coordinating the lung cancer screening scheme across the region, said: “Your lungs work hard every minute of your life. 

“As you get older, it’s worth having them checked out. Lung cancer screening can help to find problems early – often before you notice anything is wrong.

“Due to there being few to no symptoms at an early stage, lung cancer is regularly diagnosed late. Lung cancer currently causes more deaths than any other cancer in the UK, but if caught early, it’s much more treatable and the survival rate is much higher. Attending a lung cancer screening appointment could save your life.”

For more information on the programme, visit https://peninsulacanceralliance.nhs.uk/lung-cancer-screening/