About Your Appointment

You will be given an appointment within two weeks of us receiving your referral. It is important you come to this appointment as your GP has identified that you need to be seen urgently within the "fast track" scheme.

At this appointment you will be seen by a senior Chest Physician (Consultant, registrar or clinical assistant) who will review your symptoms, previous medical conditions and explain the plan for further investigations and any treatment proposed.

Additional tests including X-rays, heart tracings and breathing tests are commonly undertaken during this appointment so you may be in the department for up to 2 hours. The consultant may have already requested a CT scan which will be performed on a separate date.

Please make sure you bring a list of any medicines that you take. You may also want to bring a friend or relative with you, to help you remember the information you are given. If you have any questions, write them down and bring them with you.

Changing Your Appointment

If you need to cancel or change your appointment, please tell us as soon as possible using the number 01202 704859 so we can offer your appointment to another patient.

After your Appointment

After every outpatient appointment, your doctor will write a letter to your GP to keep them informed of your care. Please ask the doctor or nurse if you would like a copy of this letter. If lung cancer is confirmed you will meet with the lung cancer nurse specialist who will give you further written information.

If You Need Treatment

The treatment you are offered depends on the type of cancer, where it is, whether it has spread outside the lung, what symptoms you have and other medical problems you have. You will be offered the treatments which are thought to be best for you are the multi-disciplinary review.

Treatments for lung cancer includes curative or diagnostic surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or a combination of these or Best Supportive care (symptom control).

Most lung cancers are not operable but if you are offered surgery this is usually performed at Southampton in the Regional centre. Chemotherapy is provided in the Haematology and Oncology Day Unit in the Jigsaw Building at Bournemouth Hospital and Radiotherapy is provided by Poole Hospital.

We are always trying to develop the treatment of lung cancer. Your consultant may invite you to be part of a study or clinical trial. If so, your consultant will give you full details about the clinical trial. There will be plenty of time to talk about it with your doctors and our Research Nurses.

If you need to stay in hospital for investigation or management of your symptoms, your doctors will try to get you a bed in either Ward 2 or Ward 3 which are our Respiratory Wards.

After your course of treatment finishes, the doctors and nurses will offer to see you regularly to monitor your progress. They will discuss this with you.

Lung Cancer Support

If you are diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma, the lung cancer nurse specialists who are available to provide you and your loved ones with advice, information and support throughout your treatment. They will give you the opportunity to discuss your diagnosis and any concerns you may have and can liaise with all the key people involved in your care.

Support is offered in a variety of formats including telephone consultations and Nurse led Clinics.

The Lung Cancer Nurse Specialists also facilitate a local Support Group where you can meet other patients and carers.