Lung cancer screening to be rolled out to smokers

Smokers and former smokers aged 55 to 74 in Wales will be offered lung cancer screening, the Welsh government has announced.

The phased rollout will begin in 2027, with the oldest eligible people expected to be sent the first invitations.

Most cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking and the symptoms of the disease often do not appear until it has spread to other parts of the body.

Public Health Wales (PHW) said the screening programme had the potential to save lives, particularly in more deprived areas where lung cancer mortality rates are significantly higher.

The announcement follows a successful pilot in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board area, during which 600 people were screened and 12 cases of lung cancer were diagnosed - two-thirds at an early stage.

Heather Lewis from PHW said lung cancer was often diagnosed too late, but that screening could detect lung cancer earlier when it is "easier to treat".

"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Wales," she said, adding that finding it earlier meant treatment could start sooner and more people could "live longer, healthier lives".

Wales' Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said the lung cancer screening programme would use mobile CT scanners and include support to help people quit smoking.

As of 2022, around 340,000 people in Wales - 14.1% of the overall population - smoked cigarettes, according to the ONS.

Miles said the screening programme's implementation would take place in three stages to help the NHS scale up its capacity.

He said it would also include protocols for detecting conditions such as COPD, adding that the full screening programme would cost around £13m a year.

A similar lung cancer screening programme, targeting former and current smokers aged 55-74, is expected to be fully rolled out in England by 2029.

According to the NHS, lung cancer is a common and serious disease which is often diagnosed late because symptoms do not usually become apparent until a later stage.

More than 43,000 people are diagnosed with the condition every year in the UK.

It mainly affects older people, with smoking being the leading cause.

Treatment options and outcomes vary depending on the cancer type and stage, but early diagnosis significantly improves survival chances.

• A persistent cough
• Coughing up blood
• Persistent breathlessness
• Unexplained tiredness and weight loss
• An ache or pain when breathing or coughing