Thousands of smokers and ex-smokers invited for free NHS lung cancer screening – are you eligible?

THOUSANDS of people at higher risk of lung cancer are being called forward for free NHS lunch checks, as the service is rolled out to new areas.

Smokers and ex-smokers in Peterborough and Huntingdon will be able to attend lung cancer screenings to catch the disease early in the next few weeks.

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Smokers and ex-smokers living in areas where the programme is running will be invited for a screening[/caption]

Eligible patients at higher risk of lung cancer will get a letter in the post, inviting them to book an appointment.

The NHS Targeted Lung Health Check Programme has been running since 2019 and is aimed at improving early lung cancer diagnosis.

It’s specifically targeted at areas of the country with the highest rates of lung cancer.

Using a mix of hospital services and roving scanning trucks that visit supermarket carparks, sports stadiums and town centres, in-depth lung health checks are carried out on current and past smokers.

Lung cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the UK, leading to around 35,000 deaths each year.

Over 70 per cent of cases are caused by smoking.

People diagnosed with lung cancer early are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years than people whose cancer is caught late.

Currently, the lung health check programme is only available in certain parts of the country – though the NHS hopes they will be available everywhere by 2030.

If you’re eligible, you’ll get a letter or phone call from your GP or a local NHS service inviting you to an appointment.

You may be invited if:

• You live in an area where lung health checks are currently offered
• You’re aged between 55 and 74
• You’re registered with a GP surgery
• you’re a current or former smoker

Eligible residents in Peterborough and Huntingdon should expect to get a letter inviting them to book a screening slot, the BBC reported.

They’ll first be assessed by a nurse on the phone and be offered a follow-up scan on a mobile unit if they’re considered to be at risk.

Dr Stuti Mukherjee, clinical lead for cancer and diagnostics at NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said it could “significantly boost” lung cancer sufferer’s chances of survival.

“It will likely provide you with peace of mind, but it could also save your life,” she told the BBC.

It’s estimated that there are 98,000 people aged 55-74 in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who smoke or have previously smoked.

That number is expected to rise to more than 110,000 by 2029.

Dr Robert Buttery, consultant respiratory physician at Royal Papworth Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital, said: “Unfortunately, we know that at present most lung cancers are identified at a relatively late stage, when a curative treatment such as surgery or intensive radiotherapy is not possible.

“However, CT screening will now pick up lung cancers at a much earlier stage of the disease and we know from extensive trial data that we should be able to offer curative treatments for most of the lung cancer patients we identify through the Lung Cancer Screening programme.”

Data from December 2024 shows that the programme has invited 2,297,290 people to attend a lung health check

Of those, 1,094,945 people have had a free lung health check and 676,481 have undergone follow-up CT scans.

Some 5,976 people have been diagnosed with lung cancer through the programme, 76 per cent of whom were diagnosed at stage 1 or 2, when it is easier to treat.

Dame Cally Palmer, NHS Cancer Director, said: “These lung checks can save lives, so it’s fantastic that the NHS has been able to diagnose thousands of people at an early stage when lung cancer is potentially curable.

“The targeted lung health check programme is a new model of care with a community focus, making it easier for people to come forward in a way that works for them, whether in a supermarket car park or a sports stadium. 

“It has been amazing to see the response, and initiatives like this will make a big difference in improving cancer survival for people throughout the country.”