Closing the Lung Cancer Diagnosis Gap Between Wales and England

Every year on World Lung Cancer Day, we reflect on the progress made in cancer care while recognising the work still needed to improve outcomes for people affected by lung cancer.

In Wales, around 1,900 people die from lung cancer every year, making it the leading cause of cancer deaths in the country. Lung cancer is considered one of the UK's less survivable cancers, alongside cancers of the brain, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas and liver. One of the biggest reasons for these poor outcomes is late diagnosis. More than 45% of lung cancers in Wales are diagnosed at Stage 4, when treatment options are more limited and one-year survival rates are significantly lower than when the disease is found earlier.

Why Early Lung Cancer Diagnosis Matters

Not everyone experiences cancer equally. Lung cancer disproportionately affects people living in Wales' most deprived communities, who are more likely to develop the disease and often face greater barriers to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

The good news is that a revolution in early lung cancer diagnosis is already underway. The challenge is that access currently depends on where you live.

For people living in England, a national lung cancer screening programme is already transforming outcomes. In Wales, patients are still waiting. England's National Lung Cancer Screening Programme is Saving Lives. England's move from local pilots to a fully national Lung Cancer Screening Programme is already delivering remarkable results.

According to NHS England, 10,678 lung cancers have been detected since the programme began. Even more encouraging is how early these cancers are being found. Around 76% are diagnosed at Stage 1 or Stage 2, when treatment with curative intent is far more likely to be successful.

Without screening, only around a quarter to a third of lung cancers are diagnosed at these early stages. This means thousands more people now have a significantly greater chance of surviving their cancer.

A key reason for the programme's success has been making screening easier to access. Rather than asking people to travel to hospitals, low-dose CT scanners have been placed in community locations, including supermarket car parks, allowing current and former smokers aged 55 to 74 to attend appointments closer to home.

Lung Cancer Screening in Wales: Progress, But Too Slow

Wales has taken an important first step.

Following the Time for Targeted Lung Cancer Screening Campaign, led by Tenovus Cancer Care, the Welsh Government announced in June 2025 that it would introduce a national lung cancer screening programme. The decision followed the success of a pilot in North Rhondda.

Public Health Wales is now designing how the programme will be delivered, with Tenovus Cancer Care continuing to contribute as a third-sector stakeholder. We hope Wales will build on the lessons learned in England, adopting proven technologies and community-based approaches that can help reduce the significant health inequalities experienced across our most deprived communities.

However, the planned rollout is not expected to begin until 2028.

While a phased introduction is understandable to ensure NHS services have the workforce and infrastructure needed to deliver both screening and treatment safely, this timeline creates a significant gap. For several more years, people in Wales will continue to miss out on a service that is already detecting cancers earlier and saving lives across England.

Why Wales Must Accelerate Lung Cancer Screening

No one should face a postcode lottery when it comes to the UK's deadliest cancer. On World Lung Cancer Day 2026, Tenovus Cancer Care is calling on Welsh decision-makers to accelerate the rollout of lung cancer screening and ensure people in Wales benefit from earlier diagnosis as soon as possible.

To achieve this, three priorities must be addressed.

Invest in the NHS Workforce
A screening programme can only succeed if there are enough healthcare professionals to deliver it. Wales needs increased capacity across thoracic imaging, radiology, pathology, specialist lung cancer nursing and oncology services to meet the additional demand generated through screening.

Strengthen Smoking Cessation Support Now
While the national programme is being developed, more people can still be helped today. The Welsh Government should continue investing in smoking cessation services such as Help Me Quit, ensuring people at the highest risk of lung cancer receive support to stop smoking before the screening programme begins.

Protect Long-Term Funding
Once fully implemented, the national screening programme is expected to cost around £13 million each year. Funding should be planned now and protected against wider NHS financial pressures to ensure the programme launches on time and continues to expand. Earlier diagnosis not only saves lives but is also expected to reduce long-term treatment costs by diagnosing cancers before they become more complex and expensive to treat.

Every Person Deserves the Chance of an Earlier Diagnosis

Detecting lung cancer before symptoms develop can dramatically improve survival. England has shown that targeted lung cancer screening works. It saves lives, detects cancers earlier and reduces pressure on NHS services over time.

Wales has made the commitment. Now that commitment must become action.

On this World Lung Cancer Day, we are calling for faster implementation of lung cancer screening so that everyone in Wales has the opportunity for an earlier diagnosis, better treatment options and the best possible chance of surviving lung cancer.