An online survey to gather the experiences of lung cancer patients, including their families and carers, from around the country, has gone live. 

Launched on Wednesday by the UK Lung Cancer Coalition (UKLCC), the country’s largest multi-interest group in lung cancer, the research hopes to uncover what really matters to people living with lung cancer - and how their experience of living with lung cancer could be improved.

“We need to listen to lung cancer patients,” says Mr Richard Steyn, chair of the UKLCC and consultant thoracic surgeon. “Despite improvements in services in recent years, wide variations in lung cancer treatment and care continue to persist across the UK and our survival rates lag seriously behind other comparable EU countries.”

Lung cancer continues to be the UK’s biggest cancer killer.¹ There are almost 35,000 deaths every year,¹ which amounts to a greater death toll than breast cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer and leukaemia combined.²   It is reported that four people die from lung cancer in the UK every hour.¹  

The survey is completely anonymous and can be accessed at: www.uklcc.org.uk.  Paper copies of the survey can also be downloaded from the website, or requested from selected lung cancer nurse specialists.

The UKLCC’S vision is to double lung cancer survival during the next eight to ten years, with the co-operation of health professionals, policy makers, local primary care organisations, NHS and Government.

The results of the nationwide survey will be announced later this year.

References:
1.  Figures from Cancer Research UK, accessed October 2012 and vailable at: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/lung/mortality/
2.  Figures from Cancer Research UK, accessed October 212 and available at: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/mortality/cancerdeaths/?a=5441

Source: UKLCC