Overview
This quality standard covers diagnosing and managing lung cancer in adults. It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.
Last reviewed: 8 July 2026
Changes have been made to align this quality standard with the NICE guideline on lung cancer. Statement 1 was removed as it is no longer supported by guideline recommendations. See update information for further details.
How to use NICE quality standards and how we develop them
Quality standards help you improve the quality of care you provide or commission. They apply in England and Wales (see the UK government website and Welsh government website). Decisions on how they apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland are made by ministers in the Scottish government and Northern Ireland Executive.
Find out how to use quality standards and how we develop them.
Endorsing bodies
This quality standard is endorsed by NHS England as required by the Health and Social Care Act (2012).
Supporting organisations
A number of organisations recognise the benefit of this quality standard in improving care. They work with us to promote it to commissioners and service providers:
- British Society of Thoracic Imaging
- British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG)
- British Thoracic Society (BTS)
- Primary Care Respiratory Society
- Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)
- Royal College of Pathologists
- Society and College of Radiographers (SOR)
- Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland