It was highlighted that Lung Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) are more frequently coming into contact with patients who have ‘incidental’ pulmonary nodules with no histological diagnosis, at an early point in their pathway. This early contact with patients pre-diagnosis is recommended by the NICE guidelines (NHS 2005)
The aim of this protocol is to guide Lung Cancer CNS’s in supporting patients having interval CT scans for pulmonary nodules. A key part of this protocol is the production of a Patient Information Leaflet. The protocol and leaflet support Downer’s work which concluded that there was a need for greater information and communication for this group of patients (Downer 2009).