Screening for Lung Cancer
One of the benefits of having your GP practice be part of a large hospital group, and be right in the middle of their facilities is the access you have to their expertise. Since we became a part of HCA Healthcare last year we have had regular lunchtime sessions where our Doctors and Nurses get to have a session and Q&A with world leading consultants in many different disciplines.
Being located in Harley Street means these Consultants have a short walk to see us, which also means our patients can often see them very quickly if we need them to.
The importance of Lung Cancer Screening
Professor Howard Branley is a Consultant Physician in Respiratory Medicine based in The Physicians’ Clinic, right next door to us. A consultant session has a clear theme around what they can do for our patients along with helping our Doctors develop their knowledge of a particular area with a world expert.
They nearly always start with some key statistics and Professor Branley was no exception in presenting on Screening for Lung Cancer.
50% of patients with lung cancer present with Stage 4 Lung Cancer with only 5% of these patients surviving for the next 5 years.
So it seems that it is clear that there is a need to try and detect lung cancer at an earlier stage with the hope of the disease being potentially curable or better treated, creating a better outcome for our patients. The decision then is what kind of screening is most effective for detecting lung cancer and who do you screen.
It can be tempting as a patient to want to be screened for every potential condition, but screening can also have risk. The Low Dose Computerised Tomography scan LDCT is the most effective scan for reducing mortality in lung cancer patients. It uses X-rays and while the risk of over exposure to X-rays is small it is real and you should not undergo CT scanning unless it is properly assessed by your Doctor as being of benefit.
Scanning for many conditions, including lung cancer, can lead to false positive results or over-diagnosis with a risk of unnecessary surgery or treatment. It’s why the decision to scan should be made on a case by case basis.
At The London General Practice our Annual Health Screen programmes are all bespoke to our patients. Diagnostic Screening that carries a risk is always done on your Doctor’s recommendation, never as a routine. That is why all our Health Screens have at least an hour of time with your Doctor and why they are always personalised to you.
The Physicians’ Clinic is a comprehensive private clinic that brings together leading physicians from a wide range of specialties. They have a commitment to personalised patient care and convenience and their clinic is based within one of the best-equipped outpatient and diagnostic centres in central London. They are located next door to The London General Practice.
To Book your Screening
Please call now on:
+44 207 935 1000
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