Early Diagnosis Campaign
ALK Positive UK, EGFR Positive UK and the Ruth Strauss Foundation have jointly developed an award-winning campaign urging GPs and other primary health care professionals to act on lung cancer symptoms regardless of a person's smoking history.
Lung cancer in never-smokers is the eighth most common cause of lung-related deaths with more deaths than ovarian cancer, cervical cancer or leukaemia.
The campaign features nine patients, including four from our ALK-positive Support Group. Eight of the patients are never-smokers and the ninth is an occasional smoker. All were diagnosed at Stage IV - too late for curative treatment.
The campaign has the support of:
British Thoracic Oncology Group
Taskforce for Lung Health
Macmillan Cancer Support
Leading Respiratory Consultants
British Lung Foundation
GatewayC
Primary Care Respiratory Society
Leading Thoracic Oncologists
Prof. Sanjay Popat
Consultant Thoracic Medical Oncologist, the Royal Marsden Hospital
"I am pleased to see the launch of this campaign. I see too many patients who have never smoked present with late-stage cancers. It is important that we raise awareness amongst all health care professionals that people who have never smoked can get lung cancer too."
Dr Anthony Cunliffe
Lead GP Advisor for Macmillan Cancer Support
"It is so important as primary care clinicians that we consider the possibility of a diagnosis of lung cancer in patients even when they have never smoked."
Dr Sam Hare
Consultant Radiologist and expert for the British Society Thoracic Imaging
"It is crucial to be vigilant to the possibility of lung cancer in never-smokers, particularly adenocarcinoma which can occur due to genetic mutations. Early diagnosis with imaging such as CXR and low dose CT is pivotal to good outcomes and cure."
