Inflatable 'mega lungs' promote cancer screening

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the pair of lungs would visit Cambridge

A set of 12ft (3.65m) "mega lungs" are set to go on show in a city as part of a special screening programme and to raise awareness of cancer.

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been working with the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, funding research and discovering new ways to diagnose and treat the disease.

Current and former smokers living in and around Cambridge - aged between 55 and 74 - are being invited for a free NHS lung cancer screening.

The hospital trust said the giant inflatable lungs would be on show at Parker's Piece on 15 August from 10:00 BST to 16:00.

About 2,000 people had benefited from the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme since it launched in Peterborough and Huntingdon in February.

'Save your life'

Lung cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer in the UK. There are often no signs or symptoms of the disease at an early stage.

The hospital trust added that individuals would receive an invitation if they were eligible for the screening.

As part of the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme, all eligible people were expected to receive an invitation for a lung health check by 2029.

Robert Rintoul, Professor of Thoracic Oncology in the Department of Oncology at the University of Cambridge, said: "I would urge that if you are aged 55 to 74 and have ever smoked, to please make sure your GP records show this, and if you receive an invitation for screening, please do not ignore it as it could save your life."

Paula Chadwick, chief executive officer of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, said: "We are delighted to be working with the NHS team in Cambridge to promote the importance of screening.

"If you have any questions about lung cancer or the screening programme, please come down to Parker's Piece on 15 August and talk to our team. It could save your life," she added.

The trust said people would receive a phone assessment to talk through health and smoking history before they were offered a follow-up assessment and scan on a mobile unit.