More than 7,000 people from across Hampshire have helped Southampton scientists with a ground-breaking study to find new ways to diagnose lung cancer earlier. 

The iDx lung study run by Cancer Research UK’s Southampton Clinical Trials Unit (SCTU) aims to improve patient outcomes in what is the biggest cause of cancer death in the UK. 

5,100 lives are now saved every year in the South East from lung cancer thanks to research and improvements in prevention, diagnosis and treatment – that’s around 15 lives every day. But, with this study, it's hoped experts can unlock key information that can help to detect the disease sooner, when it’s more treatable.

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All those who signed up were asked to give a simple nasal swab and blood sample, as well as taking an NHS Targeted Lung Health check scan. 

61-year-old father-of-two Adam Jackson signed up as a volunteer after losing his own mum to cancer. 

Adam, a former smoker from Portsmouth, said: "If I can help save somebody in future go through the heartache of losing someone to cancer, it’s the right thing to do. It was pain free, took just ten minutes and could help save someone’s life.”

(Image: Stuart Martin/ Cancer Research UK) Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK and currently only one in ten people will survive for a decade or more. That’s why the Early Diagnosis team at the SCTU are keen to tackle it as soon as possible.

Victoria Goss, Head of Early Diagnosis and Translational Research at the Cancer Research UK funded Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, said: "It’s hoped the study will ultimately identify much simpler, more cost effective tests that highlight the cancer sooner so that more people survive the disease.”

The iDx Lung study was a huge collaboration between researchers at the SCTU, the University of Southampton Tissue Bank, the Wessex Investigational Science Hub (WISH) Laboratory and several leading industry partners. The study was the first ever recipient of the ‘Further, Faster, Together’ award for outstanding industry-academia collaboration at the Cancer Research Horizons Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards in December 2022. 

(Image: Stuart Martin/ Cancer Research UK)

Primarily funded by Innovate UK, Cancer Research UK has invested £750,000 into the study and its scientists have been at the forefront of advances against the disease.

To donate, visit cruk.org/donate