Health Secretary’s Oral Statement on Lung Cancer Screening

[Mr Speaker]with permission, would like to comment on the UK’s national lung cancer screening programme.

About a quarter of people who develop lung cancer are nonsmokers, and we remember our dear friend and colleague Old Brexie and former Sidcup member James Brokenshire.

He campaigned vigorously to promote lung cancer screening and was the first member of parliament to raise the issue in Congress. His wife Cathy continues her great work that Roy started in partnership with the Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

In 2018, after returning to work after initial diagnosis and treatment, James told the hospital that the government should work on a nationwide testing program and use pilots to help implement it.

He said, and I quote, “If you want to see a step change in survival, if you want people to live with lung cancer instead of dying… now is the time to be bold. is.”

Despite being a non-smoker, James knew that smoking was the number one cause of lung cancer. And the most disadvantaged areas had the highest number of smokers.

That is why today the Prime Minister and I are announcing a nationwide targeted lung cancer screening program based on a pilot plan for smokers or former smokers.

Lung cancer kills around 35,000 people across the UK each year, more than any other cancer.

Often, people do not have obvious symptoms of lung cancer until the cancer is quite advanced. In fact, his 40% of patients coming to A&E

Since its launch in 2019, our pilot program has already provided early diagnosis to 2,000 lung cancer patients in impoverished areas of the UK, despite the pandemic making screening more difficult.

This is important.

Because if the cancer is caught early, patients are about 20 times more likely to be with their families for at least another five years, the NHSE says.

We all know that smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer.

It is responsible for nearly three quarters of incidents.

And in poorer areas, people are four times more likely to have smoked.

So we deployed mobile lung trucks with scanners in crowded car parks in 43 impoverished areas across England.

Prior to the pandemic, early diagnosis rates for patients in these regions were low, with only one-third of cases detected at stages 1 and 2.

Putting it in context…

…the vast majority of patients diagnosed with stages 1 and 2 will have at least five more years to live with their children and grandchildren, but only 20 of those diagnosed with stage 4 are equally lucky. less than one person.

However, thanks to our targeted program, three-quarters of lung cancer cases in these regions are now found at stages 1 and 2.

A targeted lung cancer check works. They provide a lifeline to thousands of families. We need to develop this progress further.

In short, we are expanding this program so that anyone aged 55 to 74 in the UK who is at high risk of developing lung cancer is eligible for free testing…

…in accordance with the recommendations of the UK National Board of Review that this is life-saving.

It will be the first national lung cancer screening program in the UK and the second in Europe.

If the results match existing screenings, and there is no reason why they should, the program, when fully implemented, could detect 8 to 9,000 lung cancers each year at earlier stages.

Each year, this means that in every constituency in the UK, there are 16 people who would not be alive five years after their diagnosis had they not taken measures like today.

That means more and more families around the table celebrating Christmas and religious festivals.

In addition to screening for early detection of symptoms, we are also investing in technology to expedite diagnosis.

We are investing £123m in AI with tools like the Veye Chest that will allow radiologists to examine lung X-rays 40% faster.

Suspicious radiographs can therefore be followed up sooner, allowing patients to start treatment sooner.

So how do lung cancer screening programs work?

Using GP records, current or former smokers aged 55 to 74 years who are at increased risk of developing lung cancer are assessed by telephone interview.

Those judged to be at high risk are referred for testing. They will then have further examinations every two years until they turn 75.

All evaluated smokers are eligible for smoking cessation assistance, even if they are not considered to be at high risk for lung cancer.

Because despite the lowest smoking prevalence on record in the UK, tobacco remains the single largest cause of preventable death.

By 2030, we want less than 5 percent of the population to smoke.

That’s why, in April, we announced a series of powerful measures to help people quit smoking for good.

…the world’s first national plan will encourage 1 million smokers to switch from cigarettes to vapes…

…providing financial incentives for all pregnant women to quit smoking…

…and HMRC is cracking down on criminals who profit from selling counterfeit cigarettes on the black market.

This lung cancer screening program has been a game-changer for many patients, providing early diagnosis, addressing health inequalities and saving lives.

We are taking a similar approach to obesity, the second leading cause of cancer in the UK.

A pilot, announced earlier this month, will ensure UK patients are at the front of the queue for innovative treatments in rural settings away from hospitals.

This is our direction for prevention, focused on early detection of symptoms through screening and effective use of technology to expedite diagnosis and treatment.

… because identifying and treating symptoms early is best for patient outcomes and can ensure a more sustainable NHS for the next 75 years into the future.

I commend this statement home.