The NHS is piloting AI and robotics to diagnose hard-to-reach lung cancer sooner, aiming to reduce repeat scans and invasive tests.
The approach uses AI software to analyse lung scans and flag small lumps most likely to be cancer.
A robotic camera then guides biopsy tools through the airways, reaching nodules as small as 6mm, hidden deep in the lung.
For many patients, weeks of repeat scans and procedures could be replaced with a single half-hour biopsy, reducing uncertainty and avoiding more invasive surgery.
The pilot is being led by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, where the team has already carried out around 300 robotic biopsy procedures.
Of these, 215 people went on to receive cancer treatment, while others avoided more complex procedures after benign results.
From January, the pilot will formally launch at Guy’s and St Thomas’, with planned expansion to King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England’s national clinical director for cancer, said: “Waiting to find out if you might have cancer is incredibly stressful for patients and their families.
“Our lung cancer screening programme means that we are picking up more cancers at an early stage than ever, and by bringing AI and robotics together in this trailblazing NHS pilot, we’re bringing in the very latest technology to give clinicians a clearer look inside the lungs and support faster, more accurate biopsies.
“This is a glimpse of the future of cancer detection. Innovation like this is exactly how we can help diagnose more cancers faster, so treatment can be most effective, and why the NHS continues to lead the way in bringing new technology safely into frontline care.”
The pilot comes alongside plans to expand NHS lung cancer screening, with the aim of inviting every eligible person for checks within five years.
The NHS plans to invite 1.4 million people for a lung cancer check next year alone, and the programme is expected to diagnose up to 50,000 cancers by 2035.
More than 1.5 million people have attended an NHS lung health check since 2021, helping identify thousands of cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage.
Wes Streeting, health and social care secretary, said: “When I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, the NHS saved my life using robotic technology.
“That experience showed me what’s possible when brilliant clinicians have access to cutting-edge innovation – it saves lives.
“Lung cancer is one of the biggest killers in the UK, taking an extra year of people’s lives in the poorest parts of the country.
“This pilot will help to catch it earlier, replacing weeks of invasive testing with a single targeted procedure.
“For patients waiting anxiously for answers, this speed and precision can be life-changing.”
