People with lung cancer symptoms are being encouraged to go to GP checks to catch the disease sooner. A new NHS campaign, Help Us Help You, has been launched today on World Cancer Day.
The initiative targets those most at risk including over-60s and people from working-class backgrounds who are often more reluctant to visit their GP.
Lung cancer is the biggest cause of cancer-related deaths in England, with 26,410 patients dying last year making it the fifth biggest cause of death overall in England.Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer, said: "For lung cancer, we have not seen referrals bounce back at the same rate as other cancers."It is vital that people stay alert against suspected lung cancer symptoms, so if you have a continuous cough or breathlessness, don't ignore or assume it's something else, please visit your GP and get it checked out – it probably won't be cancer but catching it early can help save lives."Symptoms can include having a cough for longer than three weeks, coughing up blood, or persistent breathlessness.Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: "We know that the earlier you catch cancer, the better the chances of survival, and the Help Us Help You initiative is empowering people to come forward for screening – particularly for lung cancer, which is the biggest cause of death by cancer in England."I want to thank all those that continue to be involved in this lifesaving campaign, which aims to increase the number of cancer patients diagnosed at earlier stages from half to three-quarters by 2028."If you have any of the key symptoms set out by the NHS, I urge you to see your GP without delay to get checked out – early diagnosis is absolutely vital to beat this disease."Tracy
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