Lung cancer screening programme helping save lives across Wakefield | News

Hundreds of local people are benefiting from the Lung Cancer Screening Programme across Wakefield, helping to find cancer earlier when treatment is more likely to be successful.

The programme delivered by Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust with partners in primary care, West Yorkshire ICB, and West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance, is aimed at people aged 55 to 74 who currently smoke or have smoked in the past.

More than 55,000 people in Wakefield are eligible for an assessment, with around 13,000 expected to receive an initial CT scan during the programme. People should wait to be invited to be screened, but if they are worried they should see their GP.

The programme has got off to a strong start, with 60 percent of invited patients attending a screening assessment. More than 300 people have already been seen, and 151 low-dose CT scans were carried out in the first three weeks. Activity is expected to grow further, with another 800 invitations currently being sent out.

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in our communities. Last year, 481 people were diagnosed with lung cancer through Mid Yorkshire services, and around 60 percent were diagnosed at a later stage. The screening programme aims to find more cancers at an earlier stage, giving more people the chance of life-saving treatment.

Nationally, lung cancer screening is expected to increase early diagnosis rates and help reduce health inequalities, particularly in more deprived communities.

Dr Hazel Pearse, Lead Cancer Clinician at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, said:

“By finding lung cancer earlier, we can offer more patients treatment that has the potential to cure their disease. This programme has the power to save lives and improve outcomes for local people.”

The programme is also helping modernise cancer care. New digital systems are supporting lung nodule monitoring and making it easier for patients to move through their diagnostic journey.

The partnership is continuing to develop the service, including plans to expand early diagnosis opportunities through self-referral chest X-ray services and new screening initiatives.

Dr Pearse added: “The message is simple: finding lung cancer earlier saves lives. The screening programme is helping more people across Wakefield get the treatment they need, sooner.”