Lung Cancer Awareness Month: Challenging the Stigma

This November, East Cheshire NHS Trust is marking Lung Cancer Awareness month by highlighting the disproportionate and unfair stigma surrounding the disease.

Lung cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer, and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the UK. At the Trust alone, 149 patients were diagnosed with the disease in 2025. But for many patients, a diagnosis can also bring feelings of guilt and shame, compounded by the judgement of others. The association between lung cancer and smoking is so firmly established that patients are often immediately met with “did you smoke” rather than empathy. 

Karen Clayton, Lung Cancer Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Trust, explains:

"Stigma can have a profound impact on emotional wellbeing, affecting how patients view themselves, how they interact with others, and sometimes even how willing they are to seek support."

“If you have lungs, you can get lung cancer” 

Not everyone who develops lung cancer is a smoker, as many as one in five people diagnosed have never smoked. The misconception that lung cancer is a smoker’s disease can mean that those who never have are less likely to recognise themselves as being at risk, and symptoms such as a persistent cough and shortness of breath may not be taken seriously.  

Likewise, research has shown that primary care clinicians may be less likely to investigate non-smokers with the same urgency as smokers, potentially contributing to delays in diagnosis.

"It's all my fault because I smoked"

Smoking was once a part of ordinary life; in 1974, 46% of adults in Great Britain smoked. Although the health risks were already recognised, cigarettes continued to be advertised on billboards and in magazines until 2003, and smoking inside pubs and restaurants was only banned in 2007. Today, attitudes towards smoking have changed dramatically, but understanding its health consequences should never mean assigning blame to those who are already facing a life-changing diagnosis. 

Karen says: "Many patients diagnosed with lung cancer experience feelings of guilt and self-blame, often saying, 'It's all my fault because I smoked.'"

She adds: "Some patients have even concealed or misrepresented their diagnosis due to fear of judgement and stigma."

And the consequences of stigma can extend beyond a patient's emotional wellbeing. Early diagnosis is imperative to improving cancer outcomes, yet those with a history of smoking may be discouraged from seeking medical advice because they fear being judged, lectured and blamed for their diagnosis.

Support, not shame

This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we can all help challenge the stereotypes and stigma that surround lung cancer by ensuring that no patient is judged or overlooked, regardless of smoking history. 

A cancer diagnosis is difficult enough; let’s not let shame become another side effect. 

Karen concludes:

"No one deserves cancer. While smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, many factors contribute to its development. Yet people with lung cancer often carry a burden that many other cancer patients do not face: blame, judgement and stigma.

"This stigma can be as harmful as the disease itself, leaving some patients feeling ashamed, isolated or reluctant to share their diagnosis.

"Every person affected by lung cancer deserves compassion, understanding and support, not judgement."

Where to find help

The Lung Cancer team at the Trust is here to support patients and their families from the point of referral onwards, providing specialised medical care and holistic support both in hospital and in the community.

For more information about lung cancer, visit the NHS website. Those affected by a diagnosis can also find information and support via Macmillan Cancer Support and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

Image caption 

Colleagues from the Trust's Lung Cancer Service