Up to twenty-five per cent of patients diagnosed with lung cancer have been given the all clear after screening within the previous year, says a report published in the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP).
Based on the records of over 300 lung cancer patients, nearly 40 of 160 patients who were diagnosed with cancer had been screened for lung cancer in the previous year and had been given the all-clear.
Symptoms of lung cancer include weight loss, tiredness,chest pain, and a persistent cough.
Around 38,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with lung cancer every year.
Dr William Hamilton, from the University of Bristol who led the study said that most were probably not cases of mis-diagnosis, but that the high number of instances was surprising.
The findings may mean that less extensive surgery is needed for lung cancer patients.
Experts have advised patients given the all-clear on lung cancer X-rays to revisit their doctor if their symptoms persist.
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