How lung cancer is diagnosed

How long should I expect to wait for a referral?

The Department of Health has given the following guidelines to GPs to help them know when to arrange an urgent referral.

They should arrange an urgent referral with a chest specialist

• for anyone over 40 years who smokes or has done previously and has coughed up blood more than once

They should arrange an urgent chest x-ray

• for anyone who comes with chest pain without any other obvious cause (such as an infection)
  
• for anyone who has any of the following symptoms for more than three weeks: chest pain; breathing difficulties; weight loss; hoarseness; enlargement of the ends of the fingers (called clubbing) ; swelling of the lymph nodes (glands) in the neck area; cough

If the x-ray shows something that might suggest lung cancer then the GP will arrange an urgent referral to a chest specialist. Usually you should see the specialist within 2 weeks of this referral being made.