CATCHING CANCER AS EARLY AS I CAN

Q I would like a CT scan to check my whole body for cancer – why is this not offered by the NHS?

Philippa says

A CT scans involve significant amounts of radiation, and could potentially show a cancer before it was big enough to cause symptoms. This needs to be balanced against the fact that giving CT scans to everyone without symptoms will mean the radiation will cause some cancers, especially if the scan was carried out regularly. But researchers are calling for routine CT scanning of the lungs for people who smoke or who used to smoke, as they are more likely to have lung cancer.