New Lung Cancer Screening Initiative

We’re pleased to introduce an important initiative aimed at improving lung cancer detection and supporting early intervention. This program, now available through BetterConsult, is designed to help identify patients with symptoms that may indicate lung cancer and prompt appropriate action, such as lung cancer screening or referring to a respiratory specialist.

Early detection is critical for improving patient outcomes in lung cancer, and by adhering to the Investigating Symptoms of Lung Cancer guidelines, we can identify at-risk patients before the disease advances.

How it works

BetterConsult analyses patient and clinical data to identify individuals who present with key symptoms that may suggest a high risk of lung cancer. If a patient is flagged as potentially at-risk, the GP is prompted to take further action, such as ordering scans or referring the patient for specialist assessment.

Cohorts for screening

The screening is divided into the following cohorts based on symptoms and risk factors associated with lung cancer:

• Cohort 1: Symptomatic Patients with Risk Factors

These patients have common symptoms of lung cancer, which persist for more than three weeks, combined with other risk factors such as smoking or COPD.

• Cohort 2: Haemoptysis & Associated Risk Factors

This cohort includes patients with haemoptysis (coughing up blood), combined with either a smoking history or COPD, and aged 50 or older, all of which increase the likelihood of lung cancer.

• Cohort 3: Custom Symptom Questionnaire

Patients with either a persistent cough or shortness of breath (>3 weeks), combined with a smoking history, COPD, and aged ≥ 50, will be flagged for further investigation.

Actionable steps

Once an at-risk patient is identified, BetterConsult will prompt you to take appropriate action. This could include ordering a chest X-ray or CT scan, or referring the patient to a respiratory specialist, in line with the Investigating Symptoms of Lung Cancer guidelines.

Why this is important

This program ensures that patients presenting with common lung cancer symptoms are quickly identified and given the necessary diagnostic steps. By following the guidelines, you can help reduce the time to diagnosis and improve patient outcomes through early intervention.

We encourage you to utilize this new feature to support your lung cancer screening efforts.