Lung cancer engagement with Bangladeshi community will help save lives

As part of lung cancer awareness month last November, Barts Health and North East London Cancer Alliance worked with the Bangla Press Club in Tower Hamlets to deliver key messages about lung cancer to the Bangladeshi community.

Dr Adam Januszewski, Cancer Consultant at Barts Health, Dr Neena Patel, Respiratory Physician at Barts Health, Abbas Mirza and Khasruz Zaman, Barts Health Community Engagement Managers, and Emma Nicholls, Patient Engagement Lead for the North East London Cancer Alliance, were on hand to talk to the community and pass on materials with important information on lung cancer translated into Bengali.

The event attracted a lot of attention from the community media, with coverage in a range of Bangla publications such as One Bangla News and 52 Bangla TV, as well as a lead article on Channel S (a very influential TV channel for the community).

Dr Adam Januszewski said: 'It's really important that people from the Bangladeshi community understand and recognise the symptoms of lung cancer so they can be checked out as soon as possible'.

Dr Neena Patel added: 'Smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer, and north east London has one of the highest rates of smoking in the country. It is really important to speak to your GP if you have any of these symptoms:

• A persistent cough or a cough that brings up blood
• Recurring chest infections  
• Sudden weight loss or chest pain 

It may be nothing to worry about, but if it is lung cancer then the sooner we spot it the better your chances will be.'

For more information about the signs and symptoms of lung cancer, visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lung-cancer/symptoms/

We will be extending our Targeted Lung Health Check programme – a free lung scan for 55-74 year olds who have ever smoked – to Tower Hamlets in 2023. For more information about our programme, visit https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/tlhc