AI scans and robotic biopsies promise faster lung cancer diagnoses and earlier treatment

The NHS is rolling out a pioneering new approach to lung cancer detection that combines artificial intelligence with robotic technology, a move experts say offers a glimpse of how cancer diagnosis could soon be transformed.

Under a new pilot scheme, AI software is being deployed to analyse lung scans and flag suspicious nodules that may indicate early-stage cancer. Once identified, a robotic catheter is used to take highly precise biopsies from deep within the lungs, allowing doctors to diagnose or rule out cancer far sooner than is currently possible.

The catheter, a thin tube inserted through the patient’s throat, can reach nodules as small as six millimetres. These tiny growths are often buried deep in lung tissue and are frequently missed during routine screening or prove too difficult to biopsy using conventional methods. In many cases, patients are forced to wait weeks or months for repeat scans to see whether the nodules grow, a delay that can allow aggressive cancers to advance.

Specialists at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust have already used the robotic biopsy system on 300 patients. Of those, 215 went on to receive cancer treatment, highlighting the technology’s ability to identify disease earlier and with greater certainty. The next phase of the pilot will involve a further 250 patients, with hopes that the procedure will eventually be adopted by other NHS trusts across the country.

The initiative comes as the NHS pushes ahead with plans to expand lung cancer screening nationwide. By 2030, all eligible people are expected to be invited for their first lung health check. Since 2019, more than 1.5 million people in England aged between 55 and 74 who have ever smoked have already been invited for screening. NHS England said another 1.4 million people will be contacted next year alone.

Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of the disease in the UK. It is the third most common cancer, with more than 49,000 new diagnoses each year and around 33,000 deaths annually. Survival rates are starkly linked to how early the cancer is detected, with outcomes improving dramatically when the disease is caught before it spreads.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England’s national clinical director for cancer, said the combination of screening, AI analysis and robotic biopsies marks a significant step forward. He said screening programmes are already identifying more cases at an early stage than ever before, and the new pilot will support faster and more accurate diagnoses.

“This is a glimpse of the future of cancer detection,” he said, adding that the technology could reduce uncertainty for patients and allow treatment to begin sooner.

The robotic approach also has the potential to reduce the need for multiple invasive tests. Instead of weeks of scans and follow-up appointments, patients may be able to receive a clear diagnosis after a single targeted procedure.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who previously underwent robotic surgery during treatment for kidney cancer, said the technology had a deeply personal significance for him. He described NHS robotic treatment as having saved his life and said the lung cancer pilot could spare others from long and anxious waits.

He said the scheme would help detect the disease earlier, replacing prolonged periods of invasive testing with one precise intervention.

Surgeons involved in the pilot have stressed that the technology does not replace clinical expertise but enhances it, giving doctors clearer information and greater control when navigating delicate areas of the lung. The hope is that wider adoption could ease pressure on diagnostic services while improving survival rates for one of the UK’s most lethal cancers.

As screening expands and technology advances, NHS leaders believe the programme could mark a turning point in how lung cancer is found and treated, shifting the balance away from late diagnosis and towards earlier, life-saving intervention.