Northern Ireland has no definitive timeline for lung cancer screening as patient tells of regret

Joan McConville, 71, a former teacher from Banbridge, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2023 after nearly 50 years of smoking. She told BBC News NI she was “not remotely surprised” because of her smoking history and family history of cancer. After months of coughing, she was admitted to Craigavon Area Hospital following a “dreadful coughing fit”. A scan revealed a 3cm lesion in her right lung. Surgery removed the cancer, but it returned earlier this year, spreading to her lymph nodes and ribs. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy were recommended.

"I was a smoker. I probably would still have got cancer," McConville said. She believes regular screening could have found the disease earlier, perhaps allowing more effective treatment. "If I could have had screening and it could have made a difference to me, that would make me angry," she said.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Northern Ireland, with about 1,370 people diagnosed each year, according to Queen's University Belfast. In 2022, the UK National Screening Committee recommended targeted screening for people aged 55 to 74 at high risk, including current and former smokers. Low-dose CT scans can detect lung cancer before symptoms develop.

England has begun rolling out screening, with full coverage expected by 2030. Wales has announced a programme with invitations now expected in 2028, and Scotland is carrying out pilots. Northern Ireland, however, has yet to fund a programme. In December 2024, then-health minister Mike Nesbitt published a three-year plan that said a targeted lung screening programme would be in place by April 2027, subject to additional funding. But the Department of Health has now said there is “no definitive timeline” for full implementation, as it depends on future health funding. The department has funded a Public Health Agency team to assess the resources needed, with planning due to start in December 2026 and expected to take around a year.

Respiratory consultant Wendy Anderson, who leads Northern Ireland's lung cancer network, said screening could increase the proportion of patients eligible for curative treatment from about 30% to 80%. She estimated it could mean an additional 100 people a year surviving lung cancer or avoiding it altogether. She said reducing smoking rates remains the most important way to prevent lung cancer.

McConville, who started smoking at 19 when it was “trendy”, said she tried hard to quit but never succeeded completely. “To the day I die, I will regret putting a cigarette in my mouth,” she said.