73 A major screening trial in Yorkshire has revealed that adding an abdominal CT scan to routine lung cancer screening can uncover serious hidden health issues in thousands of high-risk individuals. The findings suggest this combined method may offer a practical and effective way to catch conditions such as kidney cancer and abdominal aneurysms earlier, when they are more treatable. The findings were published in the journal European Urology. Researchers offered abdominal non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) scans to more than 4,000 participants aged between 55 and 80, all of whom had a history of smoking and were already taking part in an ongoing lung screening programme. The additional scan, which only added about 13 minutes to the visit, identified serious new medical issues in 5.3% of participants. This included early-stage kidney cancers, other abdominal cancers, and potentially life-threatening abdominal aortic aneurysms. The results of the Yorkshire Kidney Screening Trial showed that ten individuals were diagnosed with confirmed kidney cancer, all detected through the abdominal scan alone. In most cases, the cancers were caught at an early stage and treated successfully. A further 60 participants were found to have abdominal aneurysms, a condition that often goes unnoticed until it becomes dangerous. Notably, 25 individuals received treatment with curative intent based on the scan findings. The study also demonstrated high acceptance of the combined screening approach. Over 93% of eligible participants agreed to the abdominal scan, and the vast majority reported satisfaction with the information, process, and outcomes. Only a small fraction expressed any regret about taking part. Kidney cancer often has no symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage. This trial showed that identifying it early via abdominal CT scanning could improve survival and reduce the need for more aggressive treatment later. The results also highlight a strong overlap in risk factors between kidney and lung cancer, with smoking playing a key role in both. Although some concerns have been raised about detecting incidental findings that do not require treatment, researchers found that only around 6% of participants needed further investigation for such issues. Most were able to return to routine care with reassurance. The scan also provided useful data on kidney stones and other benign abnormalities. While these findings were not life-threatening, they offered doctors a more complete picture of each patient’s health and informed follow-up care when necessary. The cost effectiveness of adding abdominal scans to routine lung checks is now under evaluation, but early indicators suggest that the benefits of earlier detection and treatment could outweigh the extra time and resources required. Importantly, the prevalence of serious findings in the trial was similar to or higher than other established screening programmes, such as those for bowel or breast cancer. Researchers say the results support wider investigation into combining screening for multiple diseases in a single appointment, particularly in older adults who face multiple health risks. This approach could reshape preventive healthcare in the UK and beyond by making better use of existing infrastructure while delivering greater impact.