Andrew Strauss urges people to get lung cancer test if they have a persistent cough

Lung cancer: Signs and symptoms to look out for

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It prompted him to launch the Ruth Strauss Foundation to support patients’ families and research efforts. The star, who was captain from 2009 to 2012, appears in a short film for a new NHS and Public Health England campaign to raise awareness of symptoms and get people to have checks. The drive follows a drop in referrals during the pandemic and fears that patients are delaying visiting their GP because they do not want to burden the NHS. Sir Andrew, 43 – who has two sons Sam and Luca – said the campaign was “very close to my heart”. He added: “Ruth had never smoked a cigarette in her life and was unbelievably fit and healthy.”

More than 39,000 people are diagnosed each year. Those spotted early have a 58 per cent chance of surviving for at least five years, compared with three per cent diagnosed at stage four.

Lung cancer referrals have improved after a drop at the start of the pandemic but are still down almost 30 per cent.

Researchers say almost half of people are unaware that a cough lasting more than three weeks could be a symptom and almost two-thirds would not visit a GP.

Also backing the campaign is TV presenter Gaby Roslin who lost her mother to lung cancer in 1997. Professor Peter Johnson, of NHS England, said: “The risk of a cancer that you don’t pay attention to is much greater than the risk of coronavirus.”

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