The Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A randomised controlled trial to evaluate invitation to community-based low dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer versus usual care in a targeted population at risk.
IRAS ID
235803
Contact name
Matthew Callister
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN42704678
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Screening for Lung Cancer with Low Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) scans reduced deaths in a large US trial and is now routine care in North America. The UK National Screening Committee has yet to approve a screening programme for lung cancer. Lung cancer is much more common in deprived communities, and yet these populations are less likely to participate in both established screening programmes and research studies. Unanswered questions about lung cancer screening include: how to design services that are convenient and accessible to people from deprived populations who are most at risk; how much extra benefit might be seen with targeted screening of high-risk current or ex-smokers in the UK compared to the US; is overdiagnosis a problem (where screening detects indolent cancers that would not have caused patients harm during their lifetime); and what effect screening has on smoking rates.
The Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial aims to test targeted LDCT screening in community settings concentrating on deprived areas of Leeds. We wish to use a Zelen’s design, where we randomise 55-80 year old smokers or ex-smokers to intervention or usual care groups before we approach them. The intervention group will be invited to assessment for a Lung Health Check (including LDCT screening for high-risk people) framed as a pilot health service. Other studies using this approach have shown greater participation from deprived populations. We will compare outcomes between the invited group and a usual care group, who won’t be invited to take part or know that they are in a research study. By comparing outcomes with a control population, we will be able to assess the true benefits (of reducing number of late stage cancers, and therefore lives saved) and possible harms (of overdiagnosis) of introducing screening in the UK.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0012
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion