Fifty more specialist lung surgeons are needed if the UK is to match the rest of Europe for lung cancer survival rates, say experts.

Cancer charities are warning that the UK has one of the worst records of five-year survival rates for people living with lung cancer.

And surgeons need to operate on twice as many lung cancer patients to match the European average.

Lung cancer is now the biggest cancer killer of both men and women with 40,000 new diagnosis each year.

Detection

If the disease is detected in its early stages people are 40 times more likely to survive.

But despite this there are only 40 dedicated thoracic surgeons in the UK.

We need extra surgeons to provide earlier intervention and save more lives

Professor Tom Treasure

Dr Jesme Baird, director of Patient Care at the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation said: "A diagnosis of lung cancer is devastating for the patient, their family and friends.

"However, we do know that if we are able to diagnose this disease early enough, we can offer patients the chance of cure.

"In the main, this is with surgery. It is therefore vital that across the UK, there are enough properly trained lung cancer surgeons to ensure that lung cancer patients are not denied access to life-saving surgery."

Beer mats designed to warn people about lung cancer

But even though surgery is the most effective way to treat lung cancer, sufferers in the UK are less likely to have surgery than people living in either Holland or the US.

Specialists

Professor Tom Treasure, a consultant in thoracic surgery at Guy's Hospital, in London said: "I believe that they should have access to the same specialist services as their European counterparts.

"Surgery gives the best chance of cure in what is now the commonest cancer.

Charities hope the eye-catching beer mats will alert people about lung cancer

"We should operate on twice as many patients with lung cancer in the UK to match the European average.

"We need extra surgeons to provide earlier intervention and save more lives."

Now Macmillan Cancer Relief and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation have joined forces to try and warn people, particularly smokers and ex-smokers, of the benefits of early diagnosis.

Part of their campaign is a series of eye catching beer mats, which they hope will alert people to the symptoms of lung cancer.

Peter Cardy, chief executive of Macmillan said: "We want our awareness campaign to reach those most at risk.

The beer mats will also warn of the symptoms of lung cancer

"By distributing leaflets, using radio ads and provocative eye catching images, we can hit home the message that early diagnosis saves lives.

"We want people to be made far more aware of the symptoms and to get checked out if they are worried."