NHS England to trial AI and robotic tools to detect and diagnose lung cancer

NHS England will trial a combination of AI analysis and robot-assisted biopsy at Guy's and St Thomas' to speed detection and diagnosis of lung cancer, and the health service has pledged to offer lung screening to all smokers and ex-smokers by 2030.

NHS England is starting a trial that pairs artificial intelligence with robot-assisted procedures to speed up detection and diagnosis of lung cancer. The trial will take place at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS trust in London. The announcement accompanies a pledge to offer lung screening to all smokers and ex-smokers by 2030. Lung cancer is highlighted in planning because it remains the leading cause of cancer death in the UK and is linked to historic smoking patterns and health inequalities. Key facts: - The trial will use AI software to analyse lung scans and flag small nodules, including ones about 6mm in size that can be hard to spot. - A robotic camera will guide miniature tools to take biopsies from nodules deep in the lung for laboratory analysis. - NHS England said the screening expansion is expected to identify an estimated 50,000 lung cancers by 2035, of which about 23,000 would be at an early stage. - The clinical team involved has already performed about 300 robotic biopsies, which led to 215 people receiving cancer treatment. - Officials and Cancer Research UK described earlier diagnosis as important for improving survival, and said tests should confirm accuracy and patient benefit in real-world settings. Summary: If the trial shows the technologies are effective, NHS England says they could reduce repeat scans and procedures and enable quicker, less invasive biopsies for some patients. Wider use would depend on the trial results and further evaluation; the timeline for broader rollout is undetermined at this time.