Hundreds more early cancer diagnoses saving lives in Sussex

Cancer that’s diagnosed at an early stage, when it isn’t too large and hasn’t spread, is more likely to be treated successfully - so, spotting cancer at an early stage saves lives.

The latest data on 13 of the most common cancers, such as breast, prostate and lung cancer, shows that more patients are now being diagnosed at stages one or two, when the cancer is easier to treat.

Rapid Cancer Registration Data shows that across all cancer types, 59.9% of cancers diagnosed in Sussex patients were identified at an early stage (between August 2023 - July 2024). This is an improvement of 2.1 percentage points compared to Sussex pre-pandemic levels, corresponding to an estimated additional 800 patients diagnosed at an early stage. It is also higher than the national rate of 58.7% of cancers identified at an early stage.

The increased number of cancers being caught earlier follows a major drive by the NHS over the last two years to encourage millions of people to come forward for potentially life-saving checks, especially those who may be at higher risk as a result of hereditary or lifestyle factors. Among the initiatives are the innovative NHS Lung Health Check (Targeted Lung Health Check Programme (TLHC)) and Liver Health Programmes.

Since its launch in Sussex in June 2022, the TLHC programme has detected 137 cases of lung cancer, with nearly 75% identified at stages where treatment can be offered with a view to cure. This marks a significant improvement in early detection, as typically fewer than a third of lung cancers are caught at an early stage outside the programme.

One of these people was 59-year-old Ginnie Walker from Crawley who received her invite for a lung health check in late November 2023. It came at a time when she was experiencing a chronic cough and, having lost her sister to lung cancer, she feared the worst.

“I felt I had smoked and that I deserved it,” she said, “But then I thought about my son, Oscar, and knew I was going to take up the invite.”

The scan, performed in a supermarket car park, revealed a suspicious nodule, and further tests confirmed an 18mm cancerous growth.

“Although I knew what the outcome was going to be, I was still in shock,” Ginnie said. She underwent a lobectomy in March 2024 at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, which removed the tumour completely. As it was caught at stage one, she didn’t need further treatment, like chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and is now cancer-free – and has stopped smoking.

Reflecting on her experience, Ginnie urged others to take up the TLHC invitation: “If you receive an invite for a lung health check, please just go for the scan. They won’t judge you. Go for your loved ones.”

The TLHC programme reaches people in high-risk groups, aged 55 to 74, who currently smoke or have smoked in the past, inviting them for a lung health check. So far, the programme has sent over 56,000 invitations, with more than 34,000 attending and over 15,800 CT scans performed at local community sites, often in mobile CT units. For many people, this early intervention has led to life-changing and potentially life-saving treatments.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the UK, largely because it is often detected too late. The TLHC programme addresses this by offering free, accessible screenings that bring high-quality healthcare to at-risk communities.

Chief Medical Officer for NHS Sussex, Dr James Ramsay, highlighted the cancer check programme as part of NHS Sussex’s broader commitment to proactive health and early diagnosis across the region:

“Our priority is to provide the best possible health and care to our population here in Sussex.

“A key part of that commitment is making sure that people can access the right tests and checks, so that any health concerns can be identified early, and people can receive care.

“Introducing the lung health checks is part of our plan to help diagnose cancers earlier, and early detection means more patients have access to successful treatments like surgery, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, ultimately saving lives.

“Taking checks like these out to our communities brings care closer to home for local people, helping them to be seen and diagnosed more quickly, which is a priority for NHS Sussex and its health and care partners across the area.”

For more information about the Targeted Lung Health Check programme in Sussex, visit the Sussex NHS Lung Health Checks website.

The NHS website has a range of information and advice on cancer symptoms.