Patient says screening could have detected lung cancer sooner

A 71-year-old woman, who has a family history of cancer and a history of smoking for nearly 50 years, stated she was "not remotely surprised" when she received her diagnosis. After experiencing months of coughing, she was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital following a severe coughing fit.

A medical scan intended to investigate a potential clot instead identified a 3cm lesion located in her right lung. Although the cancer was initially removed through surgery, the patient reported that the disease returned earlier this year.

The patient, identified as McConville, explained that she had been receiving scans every six months, but more than a year elapsed before she began feeling pain in her upper right chest. She initially attributed this discomfort to gardening or housework, but the pain worsened alongside severe nausea, eventually hindering her ability to walk, visit town, or see her grandchildren.

Upon returning to Craigavon Area Hospital, further imaging confirmed that the cancer had recurred and spread to her ribs and lymph nodes. Doctors informed her that surgery was no longer viable, and she was subsequently advised to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

McConville expressed her belief that regular screening could have facilitated earlier detection and treatment, which might have improved her prognosis. She stated, "If my cancer had developed between the ages of 50 and 70, which it did, then there's every possibility that it would have been found earlier."

Reflecting on the potential impact of earlier intervention, she noted that many individuals underestimate the risks of the disease. "If it was pointed out at a very early stage to smokers like me, 'Look that tiny little dot is cancer. Stop smoking now and we'll hopefully be able to remove it and then that's it gone'," she added.