The success of the NHS lung trucks initiative means people living in the most deprived communities in the North West are now more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer at an earlier stage.

Launched in 2019, the Targeted Lung Health Checks have brought cancer catching teams into the heart of communities, located in supermarket car parks, targeting those most at risk of lung cancer.

For the first time ever, new data shows more than a third of people diagnosed with lung cancer from the most deprived fifth of England were diagnosed at stage one or two in 2022 (34.5%) – up from 30% in 2019.

In the North West there are 11 mobile sites across Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Lancashire, which have delivered nearly 60,000 lung health checks in the year to January 2023.

The aim of the NHS targeted lung health checks is to diagnose lung cancer at the earliest stages, when treatment is likely to be more successful. 

Invitations are sent to those who are registered with a GP in the areas where there is a mobile lung truck, are older than 55 but younger than 75 and have ever smoked.

Gordon Darnell, who is from Croxteth in Liverpool was diagnosed with lung cancer after taking up the invitation for a lung health check, even though he had no symptoms.

Gordon said: “I first found out about the lung health check when I received a letter through the post. There was no obvious reason why I had received it and at the time, I had no symptoms. However, I realised there must be a reason I’d been invited, so I made an appointment.

“I had a CT scan in the car park of my local Asda, just a short walk away. I was in there about 10 minutes and that was it! It was so easy.

“I then received a phone call on 21st December saying I needed to come into hospital for an appointment and they advised I bring my wife with me. At that point, the alarm bells started to ring. 

“I was told there are four stages of lung cancer and I was stage one, and the earliest part of stage one. That relaxed me immediately. It doesn’t get better than that.”

Having caught lung cancer at its earliest stage, treating Gordon was less invasive than if the cancer was caught at a later stage. He was able to have keyhole surgery, and no further treatment was required.

Gordon said of the NHS targeted lung health check: “It’s well worth taking an hour out to do it, because you’re not going to lose anything. But if there is something wrong with you, you’ve got to find out as quickly as possible. It’s not going away and you’ve got to deal with it.”

People diagnosed with lung cancer at the earliest stage are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years than those whose cancer is caught late.

Dr Michael Gregory, Regional Medical Director at NHS England – North West said: “We know that some of the most deprived communities in England are in the North West, so the news of success of the NHS Targeted Lung Health Check programme in the region is so positive.

“It is incredibly important that we continue to work harder to make sure that all of our communities have access to the cancer care that they need, and do all we can to diagnose cancers at their earliest stages, when they are easier to treat.

“If you’ve had an invitation to book an appointment at your local lung truck, please don’t ignore it, it could save your life.”

Not only do the lung trucks scan for cancer, but they have also identified thousands of people with other undiagnosed conditions including respiratory and cardiovascular disease, enabling them to access the treatment they need earlier, and helping to prevent potential hospitalisations.