Lung Cancer

The Aintree Lung Cancer service provides rapid-access to patients who can expect our clinicians to investigate symptoms or imaging abnormalities suspicious for lung malignancy.

It is known as the Joint Lung Clinic (JLC) referencing longstanding partnership with our oncology and surgical colleagues. Oncologists from Clatterbridge Cancer Centre see patients on site and our thoracic surgeons operate at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.

Rapidity of diagnostics is at the forefront of lung cancer and we have five clinics a week and consultants triaging referrals, managing urgent issues and reviewing fresh results each day. We integrate closely with our Virtual Pulmonary Nodule (VNC) follow-up service, have smoking cessation advisors and specialist lung cancer nurses in clinic.

Our consultants will organise investigations and our lung nurses will call to discuss the next steps prior to the first clinic appointment so we can discuss a plan with you. Our tracking team and lung nurses co-ordinate to speed up the diagnostic pathway. We have rapid access to endoscopy with lists four days a week, close links with interventional radiology and protected slots for imaging.

All patients with suspected lung cancer are discussed in our Thursday morning multi-disciplinary team meeting where we discuss the next steps forward for each patient. This occurs the morning before our follow up clinic. Where possible, our lung cancer nurses might contact patients at short notice to optimise the clinic depending on when results are available. This allows us to facilitate the quickest possible pathway for each individual patient.