Free lung cancer screenings will help to save lives

Part of the East Kent Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust's lung cancer screening team, based at Dover's Buckland Hospital

Smokers and ex-smokers in Canterbury are being invited to take part in a free lung screening pilot scheme.

NHS Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance is encouraging those aged between 55 and 74 to attend, with checks being offered at the city's Beaney House of Art & Knowledge museum and art gallery on Thursday.

The aim of the service is to save lives by catching cancer early.

Dr Jonathan Bryant, NHS Kent and Medway Primary Care cancer clinical lead, said: "Lung cancer is often detected at a later stage, but early detection through these checks can be life-saving."

The scheme started in November 2022 and was rolled out across the south Kent coast, covering Folkestone, Dover, Deal, Sandwich and Romney Marsh.

Since then 66 cases of lung cancer have been detected at Dover's Buckland Hospital, where East Kent Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust's lung cancer screening team is based.

Funding for the rollout of the NHS Lung Health Check programme was supplied by NHS England, with Kent and Medway being one of 20 areas to be covered nationally.

So far, screening has diagnosed over 5,500 people with lung cancer across the country, over 75% of which were found at an early stage.

This compares with less than 30% found at an early stage which weren't screened, according to recent NHS England figures.

Lung cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the UK, with 72% of cases caused by smoking, leading to around 35,000 deaths each year.

It is hoped screenings will be held at other sites in Kent and Medway in the near future.