Be Clear on Cancer - what more can we do to detect lung cancer early?

[LorraineD]

Yesterday the Department of Health re-launched the Be Clear on Lung Cancer campaign. This campaign has run twice. The decision to rerun the campaign through March and April was based on the positive results of the previous publicity.

We would be interested in hearing your views on early detection of lung cancer, whether you had an early diagnosis prompted by such campaigns or had to ask repeatedly to have your concerns followed up. If you might be interested in sharing your experience you can send a private message via the envelope on the green toolbar.

roycastle.org/news-and-camp...

Lorraine

on behalf of the Lung Cancer Information & Support team

[VictoriaHerd]

My mum went to her gp because of a consistent cough and chest pain. They gave her antibiotics and ordered a chest x-ray, they then gave her more anti-biotics as from second chest x-ray it hadn't cleared up. But the second x-ray showed changes, so the gp did a lung cancer referral for my mum. My mum saw a doctor in a chest clinic, an oncologist and an a&e doctor on 3 separate occasions, who all failed to diagnose her lung cancer! So it's all very well for the campaign to say to go and see your doctor, but it's what the doctors thereafter do or do not do that is important! In our case, mum was eventually diagnosed after a ct scan but it was too late, she had stage 4 and had mets in her brain, liver and bone. She passed away 5 weeks later. Just can't help but think that if it was picked up by the 1st doctor, she would still be here. We put our faith in these so called experts.

[LorraineD Partner Roy Castle]

Victoria

Thank you for your reply. Your mum's experience must have been awful and the uncertainty about "if only" is not an easy one to accept. I think you are right that a critical part of this campaign has to be about raising awareness amongst primary care and ensuring people are referred promptly. This is something we as a charity are actively involved in and your experience is another reminder about the importance of this,

best wishes

Lorraine

on behalf of the Information & Support team

[Harrypalmer]

The campaign that ran in 2012 prompted me to visit my GP. I had a cold that lingered for two weeks and a persistent annoying cough for eight weeks. My GP didn't hesitate in sending me for an X-ray the same day which showed a small shadow and was prescribed a course of antibiotics as it was thought to be an infection. Ten days later my GP arranged another X-ray which still showed a shadow and then a series of CT and PET scans and biopsy which later proved to be cancer.

My opinion is that this awareness campaign should be ongoing and would like to see it advertised on TV, hear it on the radio and see it in newspapers and magazines. We need to reach out to everyone and keep emphasising the importance of making an appointment with your GP if you have a persistent cough. Moni x

[LorraineD Partner Roy Castle]

Thanks Moni

that is useful feedback, we are supporting the campaign. Keeping publicity in the radio and newspapers is part of that and we do our best to generate more interest in lung cancer and early diagnosis,

we are working with the UK Lung Cancer Coalition to keep the profile up in the year ahead,

best wishes

Lorraine

on behalf of the Information & Support team