November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month – Targeted Lung Health Check Programme
Over 36,000 lung health checks have been completed in the last two years by the Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucester (SWAG) Cancer Alliance.
Since 2022 SWAG Cancer Alliance have administered 36,627 Lung health checks across the region as part of the Targeted Lung Health Check Programme (TLHC).
Anna Bibby, clinical lead for SWAG Cancer Alliance and consultant respiratory physician at North Bristol NHS Trust, the host organisation, said:
“The TLHC has had a huge positive impact in our area. To date, we have detected over 130 lung cancers in people who were completely unaware there was anything wrong. Over 80% of these cancers were picked up at early stages (Stage 1 or 2), which meant they could be considered for curative treatment. The majority of these people have undergone (or are about to undergo) treatment, and are now living cancer-free.”
The programme supports NHS England’s long term goal for 75% of cancers to be detected at Stage 1 or 2 by 2028. The health check is offered to current and former smokers between the ages of 55 and 74 and consists of a telephone assessment to review your lung health and your risk of developing cancer, with some then being invited for a low dose CT scan. The team also offers advice and support on how to improve your lung health, including support to quit smoking. Invitations are being sent out via letter to those eligible.
Dr Anna Bibby added: “We are now expanding the service into new areas, aiming to invite every eligible person within the next few years. For anyone who has received an invitation, especially those who are unsure whether they want to take part, I would strongly encourage you to take the phone call and come along to the scan if offered – it is always better to know, and it could save your life… I’m so proud of what we’ve created with the TLHC. Together we are making lung cancer more survivable, and reducing the number of people dying of lung cancer in our region.”.
If you have previously been invited for a lung health check and would now like to participate in the programme, please get in touch with the team by emailing swag.lunghealthcheck@nhs.net or calling 0117 233 8127.
More information about the programme can be found on SWAG CA’s website: https://swaglunghealthcheck.nhs.uk/.
