Lung cancer line pilot to launch

A NEW lung cancer symptom assessment line pilot is to launch in Carmarthenshire.

Hywel Dda University Health Board, funded by Moondance Cancer Initiative, are launching a pilot service, the Lung Cancer Symptom Assessment Line (LUMEN), a Nurse-led service aimed at smokers and nonsmokers, in the Carmarthenshire area. This service started on August 15.

The Phoneline service hopes to give the public a new access point for Lung Cancer diagnosis, allowing anyone who meets the criteria to speak to a nurse directly to discuss their symptoms and be booked in to have a chest X-Ray.

This pilot service will be available to anyone registered with a GP in Carmarthenshire aged 40 or over, smokers and ex-smokers with one or more the following symptoms and non-smokers with two or more of the following symptoms:

Cough (more than three weeks) Losing weight without trying Shortness of breath Hoarse voice

Repeated chest infections Chest pain

More tired than usual

Loss of appetite

A lung condition with changing symptoms

Dr Robin Ghosal, respiratory physician and hospital director at Prince Philip Hospital said: “This innovative new service has the potential to revolutionise the lung cancer diagnostic pathway leading to earlier diagnosis and better patient outcomes”

If you have any of the above symptoms, please call 0300 30366142 - Monday to Friday from 9am to 2pm.