Lung cancer screening

Those who are eligible to take part in the LCS service must be:

• aged between 55 and 74
• a current or former smoker
• registered to a Southampton or Totton GP.

Lung screening checks are a very important check-up of the overall health of your lungs. You will be invited to participate even if you feel fit and healthy.

A lung screening check is a two-stage process to help clinical staff assess the health of your lungs and is run by a team of specialist nurses and radiologists from University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

Those who are eligible will receive an invitation to have a lung health check in the post, which will include details on how to respond and consent to participate. If you decide that you would like to take part in the programme, you will first have a telephone consultation with one of our specialist nurses. They will ask you a series of questions to evaluate your risk of developing lung cancer through factors such as your age, lifestyle, medical and family history.

If you are identified as somebody who is at an increased risk of developing lung cancer you will be invited for a CT scan to produce a detailed image of your lungs. If you are invited to have a scan, you will be asked to travel to your appointment. Please see our where to find us page for information on how to get to your appointment.

These lung screening checks are designed to spot any signs of lung health problems early - often before you develop any noticeable symptoms. Early detection could mean that treatment is more straightforward with a higher success rate.

Call the UHS LCS team on 023 8120 8883.

Even if you are not eligible for a lung health check, it is still very important that you look after your lungs by being active, stopping smoking, eating healthily, and informing your GP if you suffer with any of the following symptoms that are new or unusual to you, such as:

• A new or persistent cough or a change to your normal cough.
• Please note, if you have any of the main symptoms of Coronavirus (a new or continuous cough, a change to your sense of taste or smell, and a high temperature), visit the NHS website for advice or call 111. It is important that you stay at home and order a lateral flow test as soon as possible.
• Coughing up blood
• Shortness of breath
• Unexplained tiredness or sudden/excessive weight loss
• An ache or pain when breathing or coughing

It is rare to have symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage and, therefore, there is usually a higher risk of a delayed diagnosis and reduced treatment options.

Screening can help to detect and diagnose lung cancer in an earlier stage where treatment can be simpler and more successful for a patient. Lung health checks can also help to diagnose other respiratory issues which can also be treated at an earlier stage.

If you feel you may be eligible for a lung health check and have not yet been contacted, please speak with your GP or a member of our team.

The results from your initial assessment will tell us whether you need to have a scan. The need for you to have a low-dose CT scan will depend on whether the answers you gave indicate that you have a higher risk of developing lung cancer or another respiratory issue.

The nurse will use your answers to decide one of the following outcomes:

• No action needed: the results of your telephone assessment may show that you are low risk of developing lung cancer and, therefore, will not require any further investigations within the LCS programme. We will write to your GP to inform them of the outcome of your telephone assessment.
• Having a CT scan: your results may suggest that you have a higher risk of developing lung cancer in your lifetime. This is worked out through information you have given us based on your age, lifestyle, medical and family history. We will invite you to have a low-dose CT scan at one of our hospital sites. The nurse will help you to decide whether the scan is right for you. If you choose to have a CT scan, a member of our team will contact you to book that in. We will write to your GP inform them of the outcome of your telephone assessment.