Sadly, by the time they cause symptoms, many lung cancers have grown beyond the stage where survival chances are high or treatment ‘easy’. For patients who have very early disease detected by screening or by chance when being investigated for other symptoms, PDT is demonstrating that it has a really useful role to play. Another possible application is for small recurrences of cancer after lung surgery or for second cancers that may arise in patients who have had previous successful surgery.

In experimental work at the National Medical Laser Centre at University College Hospital in London, Dr Jeremy George and his team have shown PDT’s ability to treat small areas of cancer or pre-cancer in suitable patients, and for patients to survive. There is similar work taking place in Leeds under the direction of Dr Andrew Thorpe at St James’s Hospital.

Others in the UK are using PDT as a palliative option.

The charity wants to develop and launch a new national lung cancer screening programme, initially targeting high risk patients, linked to the use of PDT and other forms of treatment. Funds raised by us will be used jointly to develop the screening and development of the PDT treatment. Please contact, via your GP, the Centres in London and Leeds, if you would like information about treatment with them with PDT.

Please be aware that, other than palliative treatment, PDT is currently only able to treat the very smallest, early lung cancers.