The Government could save "countless lives" now and in the future by introducing a new national lung cancer screening programme, according to the Marie Keating Foundation.
The charity is warning that lung cancer remains the deadliest form of cancer in Ireland – with 1,850 people dying from the disease here every year.
Despite this, a new study the charity is publishing this morning highlights a serious lack of awareness among Irish people about the symptoms of lung cancer.
The survey, compiled for the charity by Empathy, also finds that only a small proportion of people are aware that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Ireland.
Big Check Up
The Marie Keating Foundation is today launching the ‘Big Check Up 2023’ campaign – warning that Ireland is not making satisfactory progress in the battle against lung cancer.
The charity’s CEO Liz Yeates said: “It’s been five years since we last carried out this significant research into public attitudes and awareness around lung cancer and very little has changed in that time.”
“I’m deeply disappointed to say that in Ireland today, lung cancer death rates remain shockingly high - largely due to late diagnosis - while symptom awareness is alarmingly low and a stigma still persists in relation to lung cancer,” she said.
“The time has come to change how people see lung cancer, to raise public awareness and encourage those with lung cancer signs and symptoms to get checked – because early detection, combined with all of the new treatments available, significantly improves chances of positive outcomes.”
Symptoms
The Empathy survey found that just 5% of Irish people are aware that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, while just 20% know that it is the cancer that claims the most lives among men.
The research also finds that less than one-third (29%) of the population feel they know the signs and symptoms of lung cancer, while more than a third (36%) say confusion over the symptoms would deter them from getting checked.
Today, as International Lung Cancer Awareness Month begins, the Marie Keating Foundation is calling on the Government, stakeholders and the public to ‘change how we see lung cancer’.
As part of its ‘Big Check Up' campaign, the charity has outlined a three-point action plan that it says will save countless lives now and in the future.
The action plan aims to:
- Change how we see lung cancer, countering the misbelief that there are more dangerous cancers for both men and women and highlighting the fact that lung cancer still claims more lives than any other cancer.
- Raise lung cancer symptom awareness, harnessing the use of innovative, specially developed, new mobile technology in partnership with Snapchat, to spotlight symptoms and urge people to get checked.
- Renew pressure on the Government to introduce a National Lung Cancer Screening programme, similar to breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening, to help save lives.
The charity is also calling on the Government to introduce a national lung cancer screening programme, similar to existing breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening, to help save lives.
The research derived by Empathy highlights huge public support for the plan with 72% of adults saying they would be likely to participate in the screening programme if it was available.
“Without a national lung screening programme, we are missing the opportunity to catch lung cancer before it is too late,” said Ms Yeates.
“This will equate to more lives lost.
“We have to look at the evidence and respond to the many calls to implement lung cancer screening to improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer in Ireland.”
Snapchat
The 'Big Check Up' is also using new technology to help change how we see lung cancer.
The charity has partnered with messaging app Snapchat to develop a new filter highlighting key lung cancer signs and symptoms.
The innovative technology invites users to encourage anyone they know with possible lung cancer symptoms, including a cough that lingers for more than three weeks, to get checked.
You can find more information on 'The Big Check Up' here.
