On Saturday 16 November, we held our targeted lung cancer screening fringe event at the Welsh Labour conference in Llandudno – halfway through lung cancer awareness month.
The event was jointly chaired by Tenovus Cancer Care CEO Judi Rhys MBE and Rhondda MS Buffy Williams, who has been a strong supporter of lung cancer screening following her experience of the Lung Health Check operational pilot that has been taking place in the north of her constituency since Autumn 2023. She also has lived experience of lung cancer, and other lung conditions.
Dr Sinan Eccles, the respiratory lead for the National Lung Cancer Screening Project at Public Health Wales and a Consultant Respiratory Physician in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board used the opportunity to speak about the recent lung health check operational pilot, compare progress in England where there’s an increasing body of evidence that lung cancers in the at risk group of “ever smokers” are being detected earlier contributing to a shift in staging.
Lung cancer that isn’t diagnosed through screening is usually detected at a late stage (stage 4). At this late stage the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and treatment options are palliative/end of life. Where screening is taking place, the cancers being detected are often discovered at an early stage (stage 1). Treatment is - in 8 out of 10 cases – curative and survivable.
Dr Eccles also shared his thoughts about Wales’ approach towards implementing the 2022 UK National Screening Committee recommendation and targeted lung cancer screening. He noted the finite funding arrangements underpinning the PHW-backed scoping project will run out within the next twelve months, and that staff – with considerable expertise of lung cancer screening in a Wales context – are deciding to apply for jobs in other roles with greater financial / employment security.
The meeting heard from a member of the Welsh Labour Party who had taken part in the operational pilot. She experienced one of the incidental cardiac findings of the lung cancer screening process and was reassured by clinicians while her brother – who experienced similar findings was placed on the appropriate cardiac pathway for added care.
Attendees also heard from former AM and Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert who benefited from the Wales bowel cancer screening programme, stressed the importance of taking up the screening offer and wanted to learn more about this new form of screening.
