adult screening programme
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in the UK, and the most common cancer worldwide. Around 38,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year in the UK. Smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer. Other causes include passive smoking and exposure to certain gases and chemicals.
» Read more about lung cancer on NHS UK
UK NSC screening recommendation Based on the last UK NSC review of this condition that occurred in December 2007.
Screening for lung cancer is not recommended. This is because:
- there is not enough evidence to show that a screening programme would be effective at improving outcomes for people with lung cancer
- no clinical trials for lung cancer screening have been completed
- currently there is no available test which is suitable for use in a screening programme
In February 2020, the UK NSC started work to review this policy recommendation. It will focus on recently published literature from the NELSON trial which looked at lung cancer screening. This new literature will update the previous HTA evaluation.
Supporting documents from the 2007 review
UK NSC coversheet & consultation responses Lung cancer (2007)
This document summarises the review process including the public consultation comments.
Review cycle
Date previous review completed: 2007
Next review estimated to be completed: 2021 to 2022.
To see previous evidence reviews, visit the UK NSC archive.
Organisations interested in Lung cancer
These organisations have expressed interest in this recommendation and may submit responses to evidence reviews.
List of organisations
- ALK Positive
- British Association of Surgical Oncology
- British Lung Foundation
- British Society of Lifestyle Medicine
- British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG)
- British Thoracic Society
- Cancer Research UK
- EGFR Positive UK
- Faculty of Public Health
- Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine
- Macmillan
- Northern Ireland Cancer Network
- Primary Care Respiratory Society UK
- Royal College of General Practitioners
- Royal College of Nursing
- Royal College of Pathologists
- Royal College of Physicians
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
- Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
- Royal College of Radiologists
- Royal College of Surgeons
- Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
- Scottish Radiation Protection Advisers Group (SRPA)
- Society and College of Radiographers
- The British Association for Cancer Research
- The British Society of Thoracic Imagin
- The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation
- UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC)
- Yorkshire Cancer Research
If you think your organisation should be added, please contact us. More information for organisation can be found in appendix C of the UK NSC evidence review process.