CANCER is a word many of us never want to hear. But the chances are statistically high – one in two people in the UK born after 1960 will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime.

Despite this, half of people diagnosed with cancer in England and Wales now survive their disease for 10 years or more.

One team of medical practitioners in Hereford are using November to raise awareness of one particular cancer which remains the deadliest.

According to Cancer Research UK, lung cancer accounted for more than a fifth (22%) of all cancer deaths in males and females combined in 2014.

Mark Waters, GP at Cantilupe Surgery, says early detection is key.

“We do need to hear from people – where there is a persistent cough then that’s the sort of thing we need to hear about.

“In primary care the vast majority of people that come with a cough don’t have cancer but that doesn’t necessarily mean they shouldn’t be coming or it’s not worthwhile as there are all sorts of other reasons why people have a cough.”

Symptoms people should be aware of include: a persistent cough that won’t go away or gets worse, breathlessness, coughing up blood, an ache or pain in the chest or shoulder, loss of appetite, losing weight, feeling very tired and repeated chest infection.

There are also online facilities at NHS Choices which can also offer advice in the first instance, as well as pharmacists.

Following an initial consultation, if there is cause for concern then a chest X-ray will be carried out at Hereford County Hospital.

A referral will then be made to a specialist team and further tests carried out if necessary.

Dr Ingrid Du Rand, consultant physician in respiratory medicine at the hospital, said: “We want to get the message across that lung cancer has changed dramatically over the last couple of years in terms of the treatments we have.

“There are much more sophisticated treatments available which have had an impact on survival.”

Some patients will be able to have surgery, which is carried out in Birmingham, to remove the cancer.

Patients also have access to CyberKnife – a type of non-invasive radiotherapy – as well as new treatments based on specific genetic markers, immunotherapy and more traditional forms of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Support for those with an advanced disease is given early from the team at St Michael’s Hospice as well as the hospital’s own palliative care team.

“Not everybody who comes to the clinic has cancer. The conversion figures nationally are about 23 per cent and ours is about the same,” continued Dr Du Rand.

“So roughly one in five. But unfortunately, some people will have cancer. We are a team who work well together with patients in the middle to make sure the patient and their families are supported through the whole process from the diagnosis to treatment.”

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