Lung Cancer Screening

Low-dose CT lung cancer screening with specialist respiratory consultant review. Includes an initial phone consultation, the CT scan itself, and a follow-up appointment to discuss findings. Results are available within 24 to 48 hours.

Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer death in the United Kingdom, and its prognosis is heavily stage-dependent — five-year survival rates exceed 50 per cent when caught at an early stage but drop sharply for advanced disease. Low-dose CT (LDCT) is the only screening modality proven to reduce lung cancer mortality in clinical trials, offering significantly greater sensitivity than chest X-ray for detecting small nodules and early-stage tumours. The screening programme at Welbeck begins with a phone consultation with a specialist respiratory consultant to review the patient's risk profile, smoking history, occupational exposures, and family history. The CT scan itself uses a low radiation dose protocol — typically delivering less radiation than a transatlantic flight — and takes only a few minutes. The images are reviewed by specialist radiologists with rapid turnaround, with results available within 24 to 48 hours. A 15-minute follow-up consultation with the specialist reviews the findings and, where necessary, outlines next steps. This screening is particularly relevant for current or former smokers, individuals with occupational exposure to carcinogens (asbestos, silica, diesel exhaust), those with a family history of lung cancer, and anyone who wants to establish a baseline lung CT for longitudinal monitoring. The programme is self-referral and self-pay, requiring no GP referral.