Thousands of people across Leeds are set to benefit from a major new NHS initiative designed to detect lung cancer earlier and improve survival rates across the city.
The Leeds Lung Cancer Screening Programme will begin rolling out from September and is expected to reach around 90,000 eligible residents over the next two years. The programme targets people aged between 55 and 74 who are registered with a Leeds GP and who currently smoke or have smoked in the past.
Lung cancer remains the deadliest form of cancer in Yorkshire, claiming twice as many lives as breast and prostate cancer combined. One of the biggest challenges in tackling the disease is that symptoms often do not appear until it has reached an advanced stage, significantly reducing treatment options and survival rates.
The new screening programme will use low-dose CT scans to identify lung cancer at its earliest stages, often before any symptoms develop. Early diagnosis can dramatically improve outcomes, with many patients able to receive curative treatment.
To support delivery of the programme, Alliance Medical is partnering with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, providing mobile imaging units and specialist radiography teams. The scanners will operate six days a week from community locations across Leeds, making screening more accessible and convenient for residents.
The mobile units have been designed to provide a modern, spacious and comfortable environment, with both stair and lift access available.
Residents do not need to contact the NHS directly to take part. Eligible individuals will receive an invitation letter over the next two years.
The first stage involves a telephone appointment, during which patients will complete a lung cancer risk assessment. Those identified as being at higher risk will then be offered a low-dose CT scan at one of the mobile screening units located throughout the city.
Healthcare leaders are encouraging people to accept the invitation when contacted, as early detection can significantly improve treatment outcomes.
However, anyone currently experiencing symptoms such as persistent breathing difficulties or a cough that does not go away is being urged not to wait for an invitation and instead seek medical advice from their GP as soon as possible.
The programme follows the success of the Leeds Lung Health Check trial, which ran between 2018 and 2024. During the study, 8,800 people were screened and more than 400 lung cancers were detected. Crucially, four out of five cancers identified through the trial were diagnosed at an early stage.
Funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and delivered through a partnership between Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Leeds, the trial helped establish the evidence base that is now supporting the Government's ambition to fully roll out a national lung cancer screening programme by 2030.
Professor Mat Callister, Lead Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Honorary Professor at the University of Leeds, said:
“Following the earlier success of the Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial in Leeds, we are excited about now being able to offer free NHS screening to everyone at risk in the city. By catching cancer early, we will be able to save hundreds of lives in Leeds over the coming years. If you get an invitation for a phone conversation – please don’t ignore it. A simple check could save your life.”
The Leeds Lung Cancer Screening Programme represents a significant step forward in the fight against lung cancer, bringing potentially life-saving diagnostic services directly into local communities and helping ensure more people receive treatment when it is most effective.
Image credit: iStock
