Nearly 500 people in Lancashire have been diagnosed with lung cancer through the NHS screening programme, helping detect the disease earlier and improve survival rates.

People across Lancashire are benefiting from life-saving lung cancer screening, with new figures showing that nearly 500 people have now been diagnosed through the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme.

The milestone comes as the NHS announces that more than 10,000 people nationwide have now been diagnosed with lung cancer through screening — with Lancashire accounting for almost 5% of the total.

The programme invites people aged 55 to 74 who currently smoke or have smoked in the past for a lung health check. Those identified as high risk are then offered a low-dose CT scan, capable of detecting lung cancer before symptoms develop. Eligible participants are invited directly by the NHS.

Susan Williams, diagnosed with early lung cancer through screening in Blackpool | Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

placeholder image — Susan Williams, diagnosed with early lung cancer through screening in Blackpool | Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

In Lancashire, the programme is already making a significant difference, with 75% of cancers being diagnosed at an earlier stage — giving patients more treatment options and a better chance of survival.

Susan Williams, from Blackpool, is one of the thousands whose cancer was detected through screening. Nearly four years on, Susan remains cancer free and is back out on her paddleboard.

“I know how devastating lung cancer can be; I watched it take my dad. The reason our stories are so different is because his cancer was caught late, while mine was found incredibly early — so early, in fact, that I didn’t even have symptoms. There was nothing to suggest anything was wrong.

“That’s why screening is so important. It feels like I’ve never had lung cancer, and that’s purely because it was caught early.”

Dr John Howells, Clinical Director for Lung Cancer Screening in Lancashire and South Cumbria, said: “Lung cancer is often diagnosed late because symptoms may not appear until the disease is more advanced. Lung screening is changing that by helping us detect cancers earlier, often before people notice anything is wrong.

“We’re proud that screening has now helped diagnose more than 10,000 people nationally, with residents across Lancashire and South Cumbria directly benefitting from the service. Detecting lung cancer earlier can mean more treatment options, less intensive treatment and, ultimately, more lives saved.”

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation Chief Executive Paula Chadwick said: “Detecting more than 10,000 lung cancers through screening nationally is a remarkable milestone and demonstrates the life-saving impact of bringing early detection into local communities.

“It is especially encouraging to see the difference the programme is already making across Lancashire, where lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death. Early diagnosis gives someone a greater chance of successful treatment.”

The NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme continues to roll out across England, the Lancashire and South Cumbria programme currently operating in Preston, Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre and East Lancashire.