Help Us Help You – Lung Cancer

NHS England is currently running ‘Help Us, Help You’ national cancer campaign activity to tackle barriers to timely presentation. The latest phase focuses on lung cancer symptoms.

Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in England with around 40,000 cases diagnosed each year. Around 89% of those are aged 60 and over. In 2020, around 27,000 people died from lung cancer in England.

The ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign from NHS England uses TV, radio and online adverts, and social media to increase knowledge of the key symptoms of lung cancer. This campaign aims to remind people with a long-standing cough and their loved ones not to be complacent and encourages them to get checked out. If a friend or family member has been coughing for three weeks or more, encourage them to contact their GP practice.

Between October 2021 and September 2022, 21% of all cancers in England were diagnosed via an emergency presentation. Those diagnosed through emergency presentations are often at an advanced stage, resulting in poorer survival. Five-year survival for persons diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer is 63% compared with just 4% for those diagnosed with late stage (stage 4) lung cancer.

A cough is a common symptom for many things, but when you have a cough that doesn’t go away after three weeks or more, it could be a sign of cancer.

It’s probably nothing serious, but finding cancer early makes it more treatable and can save lives.

In addition to the symptom of a cough for three weeks or more, other symptoms of lung cancer include:

• Chest infections that keep coming back
• Coughing up blood
• A long-standing cough that gets worse
• An ache or pain when breathing or coughing.
• Persistent breathlessness
• Persistent tiredness or lack of energy
• Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss

For more information on cancer signs and symptoms go to:

Whenever anyone notices anything unusual for their bodies that they are worried could be cancer, it’s vital that they take action by contacting their GP practice.

Your NHS wants to see you.

More than four in 10 cases of cancer could be prevented, largely through lifestyle changes such as not smoking, keeping a healthy bodyweight, eating a healthy balanced diet and cutting down on alcohol.