A study looking at a way of diagnosing lung cancer earlier (Liverpool Lung Project Primary Care Implementation Project, LLP-PCIP)

Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.

Cancer type:

Lung cancer

Status:

Closed

Phase:

Pilot

This study is looking at a screening tool to help identify people who may be at an increased risk of developing lung cancer. If people are diagnosed earlier, treatment can be more successful.

In the UK, nearly 38,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year. The number of men and women diagnosed in the Merseyside area is particularly high. Unfortunately, many people are diagnosed quite late with advanced lung cancer and this is very difficult to treat.

Researchers have developed a tool to help identify people who may be at higher risk of lung cancer. The tool includes

Questions about health and lifestyle
Tests to pick up any health problems which might lead to further investigations

The researchers want to make sure that this tool identifies people at a higher risk of lung cancer. They also want to find out if people are diagnosed with lung cancer earlier when the tool is used.

There are a number of GP Practices in the Knowsley area involved in this research. The study is part of the Liverpool Lung Project. We also have information on the database about another part of the project called A study looking at the causes of lung cancer in Liverpool.

Who can enter

You can enter this trial if you are between 50 and 79 years of age and are asked to take part by your GP or practice nurse at a participating GP practice in Knowsley.

You cannot enter this trial if you have had cancer (apart from non melanoma skin cancer) in the last 5 years.

Trial design

The study will take place in your GP surgery. The GP or practice nurse will either write to, or personally ask people who are eligible if they would like to take part. You can volunteer for this study if you meet the criteria.

If you take part, your GP or nurse will ask you 5 short questions about

Smoking - if you have ever smoked and for how long
Your health and medical history
Your family history, particularly if there is lung cancer in your family
Your exposure to asbestos

They will enter your answers into a computer and the computer will come up with a score. This score will tell your GP or nurse whether you are thought to be at higher than normal risk of developing lung cancer.

If your score is high, you will have an appointment with your GP. The nurse will also ask you to blow into a piece of equipment that measures how well your lungs are working (lung function test). And they will give you a short questionnaire to take home to fill in and return to the study centre. This will ask you about your lifestyle.

You will also be asked to provide a bucal swab (a swab of the inside of your cheek) and a blood sample. The researchers will study the DNA (genetic material) in the samples to try to identify genes that might increase lung cancer risk.The nurse will also give you a container to collect a sample of sputum Open a glossary item every morning for 3 days. When completed, you return the samples to your GP practice. You may be asked to provide another sputum sample a year later.

If your GP asks you to go to the Rapid Access Clinic, you will have a bronchoscopy and a CT scan of your chest. If these tests show that you have lung cancer, your consultant (cancer specialist) will discuss treatment with you. The research team will ask your permission to get samples of tissue taken. They will look for any damage to your genes. For example, damage caused by chemicals in tobacco smoke or air pollution.

Hospital visits

If any of your tests are abnormal, you will be referred to the Rapid Access Clinic at the University Hospital in Aintree. If your tests are normal, there will be no hospital visits for this study.

Side effects

This study does not involve a treatment and so there are no side effects associated with your visit to your GP.

If you go to the Rapid Access Clinic you will have a bronchoscopy and a CT scan. There are not usually any lasting effects from either of these tests, although you may have a local anaesthetic or sedative as part of the procedure. There is more information about having a bronchoscopy and having a CT scan on CancerHelp UK.

You will also have a blood test at the clinic which can cause slight bruising where the needle is put in. This fades within a few days.