TONGE: EARLY DIAGNOSIS SAVES LIVES

12.00.00am GMT Wed 6th Nov 2002

Dr Jenny Tonge, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, is using Global Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November to help get across the message,"Early diagnosis of lung cancer saves lives".

Dr Tonge is one of many MPs, from all parties, who are supporting Macmillan Cancer Relief and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation's lung cancer awareness campaign. People are far more likely to survive when lung cancer is diagnosed in the early stages.

Constituents are being urged to be aware of the symptoms to look out for. These include a persistent cough, chest infections not cleared up by antibiotics, chest pain or coughing up blood.

Dr Tonge is also pressing for better access to treatment for people living with lung cancer. She is backing the charities' call to increase the number of specialist (thoracic) surgeons, so earlier diagnosis can go hand-in-hand with earlier, curative surgery.

Dr Tonge said:"This is a really important issue. Lung cancer is now the biggest cancer killer for both men and women. But this need not be the case if only people were aware of the symptoms and made that appointment with the doctor."

"There is no stronger argument for getting your symptoms checked out than the simple fact that early diagnosis could save your life. I'm particularly concerned about the number of young women who smoke."

"They do it because they think it makes them thin – but really, it's a potential death sentence."

For further information please contact Jenny Tonge on pager number 07699 734071 or Serena Hennessy on: 020 8332 7919.

Notes for Editors: For further information about Macmillan and the joint lung cancer awareness campaign with Roy Castle, call Kirsty Warwick /Julie Read at Macmillan's press office on tel. 020 7840 7808/3 (07801 307068).