A new survey, launched by the UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC), is seeking views from UK health professionals, including lung cancer nurse specialists, on how to improve five-year lung cancer survival rates over the next ten years.

“Despite the UKLCC being on track to meet its founding ambition of doubling five-year survival rates between 2005 and 2015, lung cancer survival rates still compare poorly with other major cancers,” says Mr Richard Steyn, Chair of the UKLCC, and Consultant Thoracic Surgeon and Associate Medical Director, Surgery, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust.

“We want to hear from healthcare professionals on how they believe we can further eliminate the barriers to poor survival and quality of life, right from the point of diagnosis.” 

The UK survey will be anonymous and open to all health professionals working across the lung cancer pathway.

Among the key questions included in the survey are:

• What is the greatest challenge within your Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) in improving survival rates? 
• Should the UK introduce a national screening programme for lung cancer? 
• And to what extent do you believe regional inequalities in NHS services have an impact on lung cancer survival rates?

“Although lung-cancer survival rates in Britain are improving, they remain unacceptably poor, compared with much of the rest of Europe and the United States. It’s imperative that the UK clinical community continue to work together and continue to scrutinise commissioners and policy-makers,” says Professor Mick Peake, Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University of Leicester; clinical lead, National Cancer Analysis and Registration Service, Public Health England; and head of the UKLCC’s Clinical Advisory Group.

The survey closing date is 27 June 2016 and the results of the research will culminate in a UK-wide report later this year.

The survey can be accessed at: www.uklcc.org.uk.  Paper copies will also be available via the UKLCC’s Secretariat.

Source: UKLCC