ABSTRACT
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosis in the United Kingdom (UK) after breast cancer. It is a devastating disease accounting for 41,500 new diagnoses per year (Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation [RCLCF], 2014), which accounts for approximately 120 people every day (Cancer Research United Kingdom [CRUK], 2014). The disease has an enormous impact on national mortality and currently accounts for 6% of all deaths and 22% of all deaths from cancer in the UK (National Cancer Intelligence Network [NCIN], 2008). It has the highest mortality rate worldwide than any other cancer (Siegel et al., 2012). It is the most common cause of cancer death in
the UK, accounting for approximately 35,000 deaths from the disease in 2011 (CRUK, 2014): more than for breast cancer and colorectal cancer combined (Siegel et al., 2012). Lung cancer is a complex disease, and despite state-of-the-art contemporary treatments, unfortunately outcomes remain poor. Approximately 80% of patients will have advanced disease at presentation (Dela Cruz et al., 2011).
