A TOP cancer doctor has warned a negative Covid-19 test and ongoing cough can be a sign of lung cancer.
After almost a 30% drop in lung cancer referrals, the NHS is urging the public to come forward.
A persistent cough is also a symptom of Covid, and the NHS is warning people that it is more important than ever to be aware of the early signs of lung cancer.
New research from the NHS found half of people in South East England did not know a persistent cough for more than three weeks can be a lung cancer symptom.
Six in 10 people said they would not book a GP appointment if they had a cough for that long, and had tested negative for Covid-19.
Each year, roughly 5,700 people in the South East are diagnosed with lung cancer, making it the third most common cancer in England.
But found early, it becomes more treatable.
Michael Baker, deputy director of healthcare at Public Health England South East, warned people not to wait until it’s too late.
“It’s too easy to ignore important signs that your body is trying to tell you but it’s so important with cancer that it is treated as early as possible,” he said.
“If you are in any doubt at all, please consult your GP.”
People referred at stage one have a 57.7% chance of living for another five years, compared to 3.1% for those diagnosed at stage four.
Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer for NHS England and consultant at University Hospital Southampton, said: “It is understandable that people haven’t wanted to trouble the health service during the pandemic or have been worried about attending appointments because of the Covid risk.
“However, the risk of a cancer that you don’t pay attention to is much greater than the risk of coronavirus. GP practices have introduced a series of measures to make them Covid-safe.
“The NHS is open.”
NHS England has improved cancer care during the pandemic by creating Covid-secure surgery hubs and investing £160 million in ‘Covid-friendly’ cancer drugs that treat patients without having such a big impact on their immune system.