Figures for West Cheshire reveal there are 200 deaths in the area from lung cancer every year.

These figures coincide with a national lung cancer campaign, led by Public Health England which wants to raise public awareness of the disease at an early stage of diagnosis.

The symptom awareness campaign, which is being supported by NHS West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, runs until mid-October and will look beyond lung cancer to include those suffering from respiratory symptoms.

They key message to people is: “If you’ve had a cough for three weeks or more, tell your doctor.”

Dr Huw Charles-Jones, chair of NHS West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “It is encouraging to see the Be Clear on Cancer campaign continuing to raise vital awareness of the crucial symptoms to look out for that could be a sign of lung cancer.

“Many people may simply ‘shrug off’ something like a persistent cough, not realising the underlying symptoms could have potentially devastating consequences.

“Anyone with a cough for three weeks or more should go and see their GP to get it checked. You have nothing to lose by making the appointment and it could save your life.”

Locally, there are five new cases of lung cancer diagnosed every week. Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK, with around 36,500 new cases every year. It affects people of all ages, but is most common in those over 50. Although lung cancer is more common in smokers, around one in eight people with lung cancer has never smoked.

Smoking causes 562 deaths per year in West Cheshire and about 2,243 hospital admissions, resulting in early loss of life through ill health. Although local Stop Smoking services help 2,600 people to stop smoking (based on a four week quit), the number of smokers has increased by around 30% with about 54,000 adult smokers in the region.

In 2015, 388 patients were referred by their GP to the Countess of Chester Hospital - under the two week wait rule for urgent suspected lung cancer and from this group, 92 people were diagnosed with lung cancer.

Dr Ian Benton, respiratory consultant at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The two week wait rule applies to all NHS-suspected cancers, which should be seen within two weeks of referral. The earlier lung cancer is diagnosed, the more treatment options we have and the greater the chances of survival are.”

The campaign is being aimed at men and women aged 50 and over, as older people are most at risk of lung cancer, COPD and heart disease.

Cllr Samantha Dixon, leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council and chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “If you notice any of the symptoms, tell your doctor straight away. It might not be anything serious but if it is cancer, finding it early makes it more treatable. Even if you’re taking medicine that seems to help, you still need to see your doctor if you have been coughing for three weeks.

“You are certainly not wasting anyone’s time by getting your symptoms checked out. If something else is causing your symptoms, you need to find out for sure. If it’s nothing to worry about, you will set your mind at rest. If it is cancer, detecting it early will make it easier to treat. The message is simple – seeing your doctor without delay could save your life.”

For more information on how to reduce your risk of cancer, you can visit www.nhs.uk/Livewell/preventing-cancer or to check the symptoms www.nhs.uk/be-clear- on-cancer. You can also follow @TheCountessNHS and @WestCheshireCCG for all health related news.