CT scan catches 70% of lung cancers at early stage, NHS study finds

Exclusive: early detection hailed as major breakthrough' for treatment of Britain's deadliest form of cancer

• This was a life-saver': ex-smoker learned she had lung cancer after joining study

Thousands of lives could be saved if people at risk of developing Britain's deadliest cancer were screened to diagnose it before it becomes incurable, a major NHS study has found.

Giving smokers and ex-smokers a CT scan uncovers cancerous lung tumours when they are at an early enough stage so they can still be removed, rather than continuing to grow unnoticed, it shows.