September | Lung Cancer

Early Detection of Lung Cancer: Evidence, Innovation, and Impact

Discover the future of Lung Cancer detection in the latest RESP seminar.

Wednesday 3 September, 7-8pm via Teams

This insightful and educational session is part of the RESP (Respiratory Expert Speaker and Patient) webinar series, proudly presented by Respiratory Futures, INSPIRE and Asthma + Lung UK.

This webinar will feature expert speaker Professor Sam Janes and a patient representative.

Book your space here

What they will cover:

• Current Lung Cancer detection strategies
• Future directions based on the latest research
• Expert patient insights

This webinar is RCP CPD approved (code: 151141) for those who join the live webinar and complete the feedback form provided. Please note: Application for CPD approval has been submitted to the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK.

Meet the Speakers

Professor Sam Janes

Sam is the Director of Medicine at University College London, a division within the Faculty of Medical Sciences that encompasses 8 departments, over 20 centres and around 130 principal investigators across three campuses. His laboratory research, funded by Medical Research Council and Cancer Research UK programme grants focusses on the airways and examines both normal homeostasis and the earliest development of cancer.

Major contributions include defining that normal airway homeostasis is governed by stochastic division of basal cell; showing that airways genetically damaged by smoking can resolve on quitting; mapping the molecular architecture of pre-cancerous Squamous cell lesions, and identifying the immunological abnormalities that allow precancerous lesions to progress to cancer. These achievements were recognised with his election to the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2021.

He is the chief investigator of several trials ranging first-in-man trials of cell and gene therapies emanating from his own lab, to SUMMIT, the largest lung cancer screening trial in Europe recruiting over 13000 people. He works across the University, UCL Hospitals, the UCLH Biomedical Research Centre and interacts closely with industry, again ranging from trial delivery through to venture capital funded drug discovery programmes.

He works as a respiratory consultant at UCLH with a particular interest in lung cancer, mesothelioma, interventional and diagnostic bronchoscopy and early lung cancer detection. He has been Head of UCL Respiratory, Vice-Chair of the National ‘Clinical Expert Group’ on Lung Cancer and the Faculty of Medical Science Vice-Dean of Research at UCL.

Patient Representative

Jackie Head is an accomplished ice climber whose life has always been defined by adventure and resilience. She has summited Mont Blanc, trained in the Arctic, and embraces the challenge of climbing frozen waterfalls. On the surface, she was the picture of health: strong, active, and seemingly unstoppable.

But in late 2022, everything changed. Despite having no symptoms, Jackie was diagnosed with stage one lung cancer. The cancer was discovered not because she felt unwell, but because she accepted an invitation to take part in a local lung cancer screening programme.

At first, she hesitated. She felt fit and at her peak, and lung cancer seemed impossible. But her parents' history - her father lost his life to lung cancer, and her mother lives with it - convinced her to say yes. That decision proved lifesaving.

Jackie's cancer was caught early enough for successful treatment with surgery alone. Today, she continues to travel to remote places, climb high, and live the life she loves: adventure.

Her story is a powerful reminder that lung cancer doesn't always come with warning signs - and that fitness and good health don't guarantee protection. By sharing her journey, Jackie hopes to encourage others to accept an invitation to screening if offered. Early detection saves lives - and she is living proof.