South Yorkshire lung cancer screening has tested nearly 80,000 people

The South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Lung Cancer Screening programme has offered Lung Health Checks to about 79,000 people since 2019 and reports around 830 cancer cases identified, including 666 lung cancers.

The South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Lung Cancer Screening programme has offered Lung Health Checks to about 79,000 people since it launched in 2019. It targets 55 to 74 year olds who currently or formerly smoked. The scheme began as a pilot in Doncaster in 2021 and expanded across Bassetlaw, Rotherham, Barnsley and Sheffield by 2024. Organisers say everyone eligible in the area has now been invited. Key facts: - Around 79,000 people have had a Lung Health Check through the programme. - About 34,000 people were referred on for a CT scan after their check. - CT scans identified 830 cancer cases in total, including 666 lung cancers, and more than three-quarters were found at an early stage. - More than 1,200 participants stopped smoking after taking part in the checks. - A second round of screening is due to begin in Sheffield later this year, targeting newly eligible people and some who were not referred or did not respond to the initial invitation. Summary: The programme reports increased detection of lung cancers at earlier stages and records of smoking cessation among participants, indicating broader reach since 2019. A second screening round planned for Sheffield later this year aims to include people who have become eligible or who were missed or not referred in the first round.