Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial

Lung health checks aim to diagnose lung diseases such as lung cancer earlier when treatment is more likely to work.

The Leeds Lung Health Check takes place in convenient community locations like supermarket carparks, so you won’t have to travel to hospital. The checks are for people aged 55 to 80 who are current or former smokers registered at participating GP surgeries. You are invited whether you feel fine or not, and whether you have any lung problems or not.

This trial is for people who:

  • smoke or used to smoke
  • are aged between 55 and 80
  • receive an invitation from their GP.
YLST Team
YLST Team

The Leeds Lung Health Check, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, is one of the largest lung screening studies in the UK. The mobile screening unit offers people who are at higher risk of lung cancer the opportunity to be scanned for early signs of the disease. Almost 350 lung cancers have been detected since the trial began in November 2018, with the majority found at an early stage when they can usually be treated successfully. The Leeds Lung Health Check has been crucial in helping to inform plans for a national lung screening programme, announced by the Government in June 2023.

For more information, visit the Leeds Lung Health Check website

Fully trained smoking cessation practitioners dedicated to supporting people who attend for a lung health check to change their smoking habits or to quit smoking.

Our team of fully trained National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) advisors are on hand to provide advice and support during the Lung health Check.

We have a range of nicotine replacement therapies and E-cigarettes available for patients to take home from the screening unit. We also offer a comprehensive package of tailored non-judgemental behavioural support delivered over the telephone with products posted to your door, for up to 12 weeks.

How stopping smoking helps your health

After 20 minutes

• Your heart rate goes back to normal.

After 2 days

• You will not have any carbon monoxide left in your body.

• Your lungs will be clearer.

• You will be able to taste and smell better

After 1 year

• Your risk of getting heart disease will go down to about half that of a person who is still smoking.

After 10 years

• Your risk of getting lung cancer will go down to about half that of a person who is still smoking.

Clinical leads

Professor Mat Callister

Consultant Respiratory Physician

Professor Mat Callister is a Consultant Respiratory Physician at Leeds Teaching Hospitals and Honorary Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Leeds. His research interest is in the early diagnosis of lung cancer, both through symptomatic detection and screening. He is co-lead for the Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial (YLST) and the Yorkshire Enhanced Stop Smoking Study (YESS), both funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Professor Matt Callister

Suzanne Rogerson

Lead Nurse

Suzanne Rogerson is Lead Nurse for Research and Innovation at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. She has experience of working in medical device, drug, gene-therapy and screening research, including commercial, non-commercial and charity funded trials. She has management responsibility for the Yorkshire Cancer research funded Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial and Yorkshire Enhanced Stop Smoking Study teams.

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