How on-the-spot scans in car parks are catching thousands of liver cancer cases that might have been missed
ROAMING NHS trucks have spotted 2,200 Brits at risk of deadly liver cancer, potentially saving their lives.
The mobile units identified adults with cirrhosis or advanced fibrosis — leading causes of the disease — between June 2022 and September this year.
The on-the-spot liver scanning trucks toured 18 areas of England, visiting high-risk communities at GP practices, food banks, diabetes clinics and homeless shelters.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS Clinical Director for Cancer, said: “Lives are saved when cancers are caught early and when more people are referred for tests.
“Bringing liver scans into the heart of communities has already helped us find thousands of people with liver damage that needs further monitoring, investigation, or treatment.
“In the future, we expect to help tens of thousands more patients to receive a diagnosis sooner.”
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Around 6,200 people in England are diagnosed with liver cancer each year, with numbers doubling over the past decade.
It is more common in men, people aged over 60 and those with conditions like hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, gallstones, diabetes and HIV.
The disease is the fastest rising cause of cancer death in the UK, with mortality rates tripling since the 1970s because of alcohol abuse and obesity, according to experts.
Survival rates are comparatively low compared to other cancers, but are higher if the disease is spotted early.
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Only one in three liver cancers are diagnosed at an early stage at the moment.
However, the NHS’s new scanning initiative aims to increase the proportion of cases that are caught early and prevent them from occurring in people who are more at risk.
Those who are deemed high risk of liver cancer or cirrhosis are provided with information about their level of risk and referred to their GP where appropriate.
If needed, patients are referred straight into a six-month liver surveillance care programme.
Pamela Healy, of the British Liver Trust, said: “The earlier we detect liver cancer; the quicker treatment can begin and the better the chance of survival.
“We know that the biggest risk factor for developing liver cancer is having pre-existing liver disease.
“However, sadly this is a silent killer that usually has no symptoms in the early stages which is why these community liver health checks are so vital.
“Early scanning of high-risk patients literally saves lives.”