A study looking at lung health checks to help diagnose lung diseases earlier

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:

Other
This study is for people who:
  • smoke or used to smoke
  • are aged between 55 and 80
  • are registered with a participating GP in Leeds 

Please note - only people who receive an invitation letter from their GP can join this study.   

More about this trial

Lung health checks aim to diagnose lung diseases such as lung cancer earlier when treatment is more likely to work. They are already available in some parts of England. But doctors want to learn more about how good lung health checks are at picking up lung cancer earlier. 
 
Smoking is the biggest cause of lung cancer in the UK. Your risk increases the more you smoke and the longer you smoke for. Only people who smoke or used to smoke can take part in this study. This is because they have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. 
 
If you agree to take part in this study, you speak with a member of the study team and answer some questions about your health. They check your risk of developing a lung disease. If you have a higher risk of developing a lung disease, the study team invites you to have: 
  • a breathing test (or lung function test Open a glossary item)
  • a CT scan of your lungs  
The main aims of this trial are to find out:
  • whether people are willing to take part in lung health checks
  • how good lung health checks are at picking up lung cancer earlier

Who can enter

The following bullet points list the entry conditions for this study. Talk to your GP or the study team if you are unsure about any of these. They will be able to advise you. 
 
Who can take part
You may be able to join this study if all of the following apply. You:
  • are registered with a GP that is taking part in this study in Leeds 
  • are aged between 55 and 80 
  • smoke or have smoked  
Who can’t take part
You cannot join this study if any of these apply. You:
  • have had cancer of the lungs, windpipe (trachea), the main airway (bronchus), thymus Open a glossary item or the sheets of tissue that cover the lungs (pleura) in the past 5 years   
  • have been diagnosed with any type of cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic) 
  • have dementia 
  • are on the palliative care Open a glossary item register. Your GP can tell you more about this 
  • live in a nursing home or are unable to leave your home
  • have had a CT scan of your chest in the last year
  • have severe weakness (frailty)

Trial design

The study team hopes that around 6,892 people will agree to take part in this study. 
 
Your GP will send you a letter inviting you to take part in this study. If you are willing to take part, you need to reply to the invitation by calling the number on the letter. A member of the study team will ask you some questions on the telephone to check your risk of developing lung disease. It takes about 2 minutes in total. If you are at higher risk of lung disease, they will book you an appointment.
 
Not everyone who is eligible to take part will be invited to have a lung health check. The study team will also follow up a group of people who won’t have the lung health check. This is called the control group Open a glossary item. 
 
On the day of your lung health check appointment, you meet with a nurse in a mobile van. You:
  • answer some questions about your health to find out more about your lung disease risk 
  • breath into a small device called spirometer (breathing test). The device measures the amount of air you breathe in and out, and how quickly you breathe
  • have a low dose CT scan of your lungs 
A CT scan is a test that uses x-rays and a computer to create detailed pictures of the inside of your body. To have the CT scan, you lie on a couch which moves slowly through the scanner. It takes about 10 minutes to have it. 
 
You will get your results 4 weeks after your CT scan. The research team will tell you if you need to have another CT scan, or whether you need to have other tests. 
 
Even if you aren’t invited to take part in this study, you can still take steps to reduce your risk of lung cancer. Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health. And speak to your GP if you notice anything that isn’t normal for you.

Hospital visits

You don’t need to go to hospital to have the lung health check. You have the test in a mobile van that will be parked in different locations around Leeds such as supermarket car parks. 

The study team will tell you the exact location of the mobile van when your appointment is booked. 

Side effects

CT scanners use a small amount of radiation to produce pictures of your body. Exposure to radiation can cause some problems and rarely it can cause cancer.

Using modern CT scanners, the trial team can reduce the amount of radiation needed. For people at risk of lung cancer, the chance of the scan finding an early cancer is greater than the risk of the scan causing harm.

CT scans are very accurate but aren't perfect. Rarely, the scan doesn't pick up the cancer.

Some people need other tests or treatments because the CT scan picked up something abnormal. Occasionally, it turns out that these tests weren't needed because the abnormal area:

  • isn't cancer
  • is a harmless type of cancer that wouldn't cause problems if left alone

Speak to your GP or nurse if you want to know more about the possible benefits and risks of having a lung health check. 

Recruitment start:

Recruitment end:

How to join a clinical trial

Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.

Print page
Questions to ask your doctor about clinical trials
Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.

Chief Investigator

Dr Matthew Callister

Supported by

Yorkshire Cancer Research
University of Leeds
The Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
York Trials Unit 

If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses

Freephone 0808 800 4040

Last review date

CRUK internal database number:

16243

Print page
Questions to ask your doctor about clinical trials
Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.

Last reviewed:

Dangoor logo
About Cancer generously supported by
Dangoor Education since 2010.

Rate this page:

Currently rated: 1 out of 5 based on 1 vote
Thank you!
We've recently made some changes to the site, tell us what you think