This World Lung Cancer Day (1 August 2025), the NHS in the North West is highlighting the success of artificial intelligence and the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme in detecting lung cancer early and improving patient outcomes.

At Wythenshawe Hospital, part of Manchester University Hospitals NHS FT, staff are now using cutting-edge technology to support thousands of cancer patients every month.

Clinicians are using a tool – designed by medical technology company Annalise.Ai and backed by the government’s AI Diagnostic Fund – to analyse chest X-Rays and CT scans, some of the most common tools available to diagnose lung cancer.

Health Minister Ashley Dalton will visit the site today (Friday 1 August 2025) to see first-hand how this innovation is improving cancer care whilst playing a key role in the 10 Year Health Plan’s shift from analogue to digital and build an NHS which is fit for the future.

When the technology identifies potential cases, the information is relayed back to the clinician in under a minute. They can then prioritise high-risk scans, helping to detect or rule out cancer more quickly. It is supporting over 40,000 X-rays delivered across Greater Manchester trusts every month.

Up to 1,400 CT scans have been avoided thanks to the AI tool along with 1,000 two-week-wait referrals – cutting waiting lists and ensuring patients receive the most appropriate treatment as quickly as possible.

Dr Michael Gregory, Regional Medical Director for NHS England in the North West, said: “This is a great example of how the NHS is shifting from analogue to digital, using innovation and digital technology to enhance the care we provide to our patients, diagnosing conditions earlier and quicker which can then offer more effective treatment options and better outcomes.”

Minister Dalton also saw a new state-of-the-art robotic probe which is helping to speed up the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. The new Ion system uses a small robotic catheter to examine the deepest and hardest to reach areas of the lungs, offering answers much sooner. Wythenshawe Hospital is one of the first in Europe to adopt this revolutionary system.

The NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme, which aims to detect lung cancer before people notice symptoms, is also proving a great success and improving early diagnosis.

The screening programme invites people aged 55 to 74 who currently smoke or have a history of smoking, for a lung health check. The service is usually offered in the community with a mobile bus, making it easier and more convenient for people to check their health.

In the North West, approximately 2,000 lung cancers have been detected so far thanks to the lung screening programme – a huge success for early cancer diagnosis rates.

In Cheshire and Merseyside, the lung screening service is currently available to people living in Wirral, whilst in Lancashire and South Cumbria, the service is currently inviting people in Preston. Greater Manchester is currently offering lung screening appointments to people in Bolton, Stockport and Trafford.

Dr Gregory continued: “I’d encourage everyone who is invited for a lung screening to attend their appointment, even if they don’t think they are at risk of lung cancer.

“Lung screening can detect lung cancer before people experience any symptoms, meaning it can be diagnosed at an early stage when it is much more treatable, potentially saving your life.”

Approximately 48,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year in the UK, and the disease leads to around 35,000 deaths each year.

This innovative approach to cancer care is helping to diagnose lung cancer earlier, when treatment is most effective, and saving lives.

For more information about the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme, visit: www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/lung-cancer-screening/