Leading charities Cancer Focus Northern Ireland and Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation have joined together to call for the implementation of lung cancer screening in Northern Ireland.

Lung cancer is responsible for over a fifth (22.9%) of all cancer deaths in Northern Ireland, with late diagnosis a significant factor. Currently, only 19% of people with lung cancer are caught at stage one compared to 44% at stage 4 when curative treatment is no longer possible. However, screening could save hundreds of lives in Northern Ireland each year.

The two charities recently co-hosted a panel discussion in the Long Gallery in Stormont to give key healthcare professionals and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) the chance to learn from these earlier life-saving pilots.

Richard Spratt, Chief Executive of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, commented: “We are proud to be standing with Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation to call for lung cancer screening in Northern Ireland.

Pictured from left are: Pat McClelland Director of Services, Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, William Irwin MLA, Keith Buchanan MLA, Anthony Stuart Community Wellbeing Manager, Cancer Focus Northern Ireland. Credit: Supplied

placeholder image — Pictured from left are: Pat McClelland Director of Services, Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, William Irwin MLA, Keith Buchanan MLA, Anthony Stuart Community Wellbeing Manager, Cancer Focus Northern Ireland. Credit: Supplied

"If there is a way to help lung cancer patients live longer, and especially if that solution might also alleviate some health service pressures by treating cases when they are less complex, why would we not move to this model? We know from the English pilot that this screening works – and people in NI deserve the same access to healthcare that they would get elsewhere in the UK.”

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Paula Chadwick, Chief Executive of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Cancer Focus Northern Ireland and working together to bring lung cancer screening to Northern Ireland. Having worked with NHS England on the roll out of screening, as well as funding our own pilot programme, we have seen first-hand the positive impact this intervention is having on so many lives. It is only right that people in Northern Ireland have the same opportunity.”

Mid Ulster MLA Keith Buchanan, who attended the event, added: “One of the best things we can do to improve cancer outcomes and also to improve our health services is to catch cancer earlier. Screening programmes allow us to do just that. I am delighted to join the call for lung cancer screening, which can help us address NI’s largest cancer killer. If people in England are starting to get access to lung screening, we should here, too.”