THE area's fight against lung cancer has received a boost following an extra £1.4 million from the government for services in the North West.

Patients in South Ribble, Preston, Chorley, and surrounding areas will benefit from a £61,000 hand-out, while another £71,000 will be invested in the Lancashire and Lakeland Radiotherapy Unit at Preston Hospital.

An extra £10 million is being made available nationally.

Health authorities will only be able to use the money to improve lung cancer services.

The cash will be available year-on-year to fund staff - including highly trained specialists - new equipment and extra clinic and operating sessions.

Health chiefs say it will help reduce waiting times and improve the quality of treatment in 25 lung cancer centres in five North West counties.

Announcing the funding, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Health, Baroness Hayman, said: "Improving cancer services is an absolute priority for this government.

"Lung cancer is the most common malignant disease in the western world and the third most common cause of death in the UK.

"We are determined to reduce the number of people who get this disease through our commitment to public education, smoking cessation clinics and a range of other measures.

"However, for those people who do have lung cancer there is sound evidence that better organisation and delivery of treatment and care can make a worthwhile difference.

"This extra £10 million is funding new and often innovative projects that have direct benefits for patients.

"The focus is on modernising services by speeding up access to diagnosis, reducing unnecessary waiting and providing high quality care and treatment by multi-disciplinary teams."

In addition, Baroness Hayman issued guidance on the treatment of ovarian and other gynaecological cancers to health authorities, primary care groups and NHS trusts.

Some 14,000 women develop gynaecological cancer each year. The most common forms are ovarian, cervical and endometrial.

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