The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7476 p509
3 November 2007

Society summary

New practice guidance launched for early lung cancer detection

New guidance on best practice to support the pharmacist’s role in the fight against lung cancer has been launched this week by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Practice Division in conjunction with The Pharmaceutical Journal.

“Practice guidance: lung cancer’’(PDF 610K) has been produced to coincide with Lung Cancer Awareness Month (see p504).

A key message of the campaign is that early detection and diagnosis of lung cancer can save lives and pharmacy has been positioned as a front-runner in early intervention.

The new practice guidance urges pharmacists to

• be alert to possible lung cancer symptoms, such as the worsening of a long-standing cough, especially in high risk patients

• increase public awareness of the signs and symptoms of lung cancer and the importance of early detection

• take all opportunities to offer advice on smoking cessation

Paul Gimson, lead pharmacist for long-term conditions at the Society, said that early diagnosis of lung cancer is vital, adding: “Patients will often share worrying symptoms with a pharmacist and the role of community pharmacists in raising awareness of health issues is becoming more widely recognised.’’

Mr Gimson said that the guidance aims to help pharmacists to be extra-vigilant in detecting early signs and symptoms of lung cancer: “This work further highlights the valuable role that community pharmacy has to play in improving public health.’’

Lung Cancer Awareness Month, now in its fifth year, was pioneered by Macmillan Cancer Support and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.