Life-saving lung cancer screening expanding in Kent
Lung cancer screening is expanding to new areas of Kent to increase early diagnosis and prevention of the disease.
Past and current smokers, aged 55 to 74 and living in Whitstable, Faversham and Herne Bay are urged to check text messages and take up their potentially life-saving lung health checks.
The phased expansion will start in Whitstable in March, Faversham in June and Herne Bay in September.
Early detection
Following successful pilots on the south Kent coast and in Canterbury, the NHS lung cancer screening programme has already helped save lives by identifying lung cancer at an earlier stage, when it is more treatable.
Since the programme launch in Kent in 2022, 90 lung cancers have been diagnosed so far, with 64 per cent diagnosed at an early stage (stage one or two). This compared to 33 per cent outside of the screening.*
People diagnosed with lung cancer at the earliest stage are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years than those whose cancer is caught late.**
Dr Jonathan Bryant, NHS Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance Cancer Clinical Lead, said: “Lung cancer often has no symptoms in its early stages, which is why early detection and screening is so important.
“If you're invited, please do what your text message says - and attend your lung health check - it could save your life.”
"There is nothing to lose by going to screening"
When Steve, aged 69, attended his lung cancer screening appointment, the scan found nodules on both lungs. Further scans also identified a tumour in his kidney.
As a result, the tumour was removed, and Steve is now attending regular monitoring scans to keep an eye on the lung nodules.
Pictured left to right: Annmarie Frenchum, Programme Manager, Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance, Steve and Tony Fleming, Lead Macmillan Lung Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist/ Responsible Assessor Lung Cancer Screening Programme, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.
Steve said: “I had no symptoms of anything being wrong. The screening highlighted the nodules and the cancerous tumour, and I was able to receive treatment quickly.
“There is nothing to lose by going to screening, the worst thing you can do is walk away and ignore it.”
Watch Steve's video.
About lung cancer screening
The programme is designed to check those most at risk of developing lung cancer to spot early signs.
When lung cancer is diagnosed early, there are more options for treatment and a higher chance of survival.
Lung cancer screening takes place in two stages. The first is an initial phone assessment with a specially trained health care professional.
If the assessment finds the person to be at high risk, they are offered a CT scan to check for early signs of lung cancer.
Other lung conditions can also be identified through the screening. If this happens, participants will be referred on for the appropriate treatment.
Smokers are also offered stop smoking support with an advisor who will provide friendly and professional support and resources to help quit smoking.
Learn more about NHS Lung Cancer Screening.
*East Kent University NHS Foundation Trust, March 2026.
** NHS England, 2024.