Lung cancer patients take part in new research study at NNUH

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital has recruited its first patient onto a new research trial to help lung cancer patients after they have received treatment.

The Second Primary Lung Cancer Cohort Study (SPORT) aims to detect early signs of secondary cancers amongst lung cancer patients two to five years after their treatment.

The study, run by Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, funded by Cancer Research UK and supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and is looking to recruit 850 people to increase understanding and support for patients at risk of cancer years after treatment.

Patients who take part in the trial after having undergone radical treatment, surgery or radiotherapy will be asked to provide blood samples every six months for up to five years to measure DNA in the blood, which has come from a tumour.

Dr Eleanor Mishra, Respiratory Consultant at NNUH, said: “Patients who have had curative treatment for lung cancer are at an increased risk of developing second primary lung cancers and other cancers over the next 10 years and this study aims to develop better ways of monitoring patients during follow-up so we can intervene as quickly as possible with further treatments.

We are grateful to our patients who are taking part in this vital study to help improve the care and better detect secondary cancers in this group of patients.”

Blood samples will be analysed using various new scientific techniques looking to correlate emergence of new primary cancer with blood based markers.”

The main symptoms of lung cancer include:

• a cough that doesn’t go away after 2 or 3 weeks
• a long-standing cough that gets worse
• chest infections that keep coming back
• coughing up blood
• an ache or pain when breathing or coughing
• persistent breathlessness
• persistent tiredness or lack of energy
• loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss

If you have any of these, you should see a GP.