More than 5K lung cancer cases have been detected by NHS mobile lung screening

NHS England announced that more than 5,000 lung cancer cases in England were diagnosed earlier due to the targeted Lung Checks program.

The biggest ever initiative of the NHS aimed at improving lung cancer early diagnosis is being targeted specifically at areas with the highest rate of the disease.

The latest data from NHS England shows that since the launch of the program in 2019, 5,037 lung tumors have been detected.

The programme identified more than three quarters (76%) of cancers in the early stages of stage one and two. These are the most curable.

Those who are diagnosed with lung cancer in its earliest stages have a 20-fold higher chance of surviving for five years compared to those who get it later.

The lung health of current and former smokers is checked using a combination of hospital services, roving scanning truck that visits community sites such as supermarket parking lots, sports stadiums, and town centers.

Data showed that since the launch of the lung health check initiative, more than one third of those diagnosed in the poorest areas of England have been diagnosed earlier.

NHS data also showed that the NHS improved the early diagnosis rate by 7.4% last year (April 20,23 to March 20,24) when compared to Covid-19’s period (March 2019, to February 2020).

The NHS Cancer Director, Dame Cally, stated: “These lung tests can save lives. It’s fantastic that NHS has been capable of diagnosing thousands of people in an early stage, when lung cancer may be curable.

The targeted lung check programme is a model of community-based care that makes it easier for individuals to speak up in a manner that suits them, be it in the parking lot of a supermarket or at a sporting stadium.

Palmer said, “It’s been incredible to see the response. Initiatives like this will improve cancer survival rates for people across the country.”