Lung cancer found in symptom-free man after NHS screening

A 72-year-old man was diagnosed with lung cancer after a specialist NHS screening test despite having no symptoms, and the cancer was removed following early detection. The case was highlighted as the government launched a 10-year cancer strategy that includes expanded screening and diagnostic investment.

A man who had no troubling symptoms was diagnosed with lung cancer after taking part in a specialist NHS screening programme. He was told of the diagnosis on Christmas Eve 2020 and later had the disease removed in a single operation. The couple spoke to the BBC at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool as the government launched a new 10-year cancer strategy. The strategy aims to improve survival by expanding screening and investing in diagnostics. Key facts: - The patient, named in the article as Gordon Darnell, was 72 when a screening test found lung cancer despite him reporting no symptoms. - The cancer was reported as detected at an early stage, removed in a single operation, and the patient left hospital described as cancer-free. - The government’s 10-year strategy referenced in the article includes expanded lung screening, more use of AI and genomics in diagnosis, and a target that 85% of patients start treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral by 2029 (about 70% currently). Summary: The article presents a case in which NHS screening led to an early lung cancer diagnosis and successful surgery, and it also notes a separate screening outcome for the patient’s wife that identified arterial changes. The government’s launched strategy seeks to expand screening and strengthen diagnostic services with specific milestones set for 2029.