Lung Cancer Screening

What you need to know

Lung cancer screening helps find early signs of lung cancer in people who may be at higher risk. Detecting lung cancer early can make treatment simpler and more successful.

What is a lung health check?

A lung health check is a check of your lungs. It may also be called lung cancer screening.

We invite people aged 55 to 74 who smoke, or used to smoke, for a check.

We are mainly looking for lung cancer. Most people who have a check won’t have lung cancer. But for those who do, finding it early makes all the difference.

When will I be invited?

We can only invite you to a check if:

• you are registered with a GP
• your GP record shows that you smoke or used to smoke

Lung health checks are gradually being offered across the North East and North Cumbria. If you would like to know when you could receive an invitation, please contact your local service.

Why should I take part?

When lung cancer is found early, it can be cured.

Early lung cancer often doesn’t make you feel unwell. You might not know anything is wrong until it has spread.

The earlier we find lung cancer; the easier and quicker treatment can be.

Lung health checks are saving lives every day – don’t miss out on your check!

What happens during a lung health check?

The check takes around 10-20 minutes. It is normally over the telephone, but an in-person appointment can be made if you need this.

We will ask you some questions about your health. Your answers will tell us your risk of developing lung cancer.

If you are low risk, you don’t need to do anything else. You may be invited for another check in the future. We will contact you at this time.

If you are high risk, we will offer you a scan of your lungs. The scan is called a CT scan.

What happens during a CT scan?

You will have your scan on a mobile scanning van or at a hospital. The appointment will last about 10 minutes, but the scan takes just a few minutes. The scan is quick and painless.

How can I find out more?

Please watch our videos to hear from people like yourselves who have had a lung health check:

 

Lung Cancer Screening is for people who do not have any symptoms of lung cancer, and meet the eligibility criteria for a check.

 If you have any concerns about your lung health, or you have had a change in your health which you’re concerned about, please contact your GP practice for advice. We cannot provide you with any advice about your health or any symptoms you may have.

If you still have questions, you can contact our team at nencicb.tlhc@nhs.net