Mother-of-two Rachel Lawson, 58, was diagnosed with lung cancer four years ago. She had never smoked and had an operation to remove a tumour from her left lung.

But the cancer has returned and she is waiting to hear whether the drug Tarceva - which could improve her life expectancy - will be approved for use by the NHS.

Mrs Lawson, who works as a physiotherapist at the Leamington Rehabilitation Centre, said: "It's important to catch it early because the recovery rate is better.

"If you have got a perpetual cough and don't know what the cause is you need to get it checked out."

Mrs Lawson said she had a cough for around a year before she was persuaded to see her GP about it.

She said: "It is easy to ignore things or just get used to it. Once I went to the GP he sent me for an x-ray and broncoscopy and it was diagnosed."

November is 'Lung Cancer Awareness Month' and Mrs Lawson has been putting up posters in chemists and GP surgeries.

She said: "The two aims are to inform and educate the public and to raise awareness among health professionals, particularly GPs and pharmacists about the possible diagnosis of lung cancer when considering symptoms.

"It is also important to recognise that non-smokers can get lung cancer too - one in eight people with lung cancer has never smoked.

"Whilst smoking is still the major cause of lung cancer, the good news is that quitting works.

"It's never too late to give up, and the sooner you stop the better. Even if you have been smoking for most of your life, your chances of developing lung cancer will be much less if you give up now, whatever your age."

The campaign is organised by The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and Macmillan Cancer Support. People are urged to see a doctor immediately if they have any of these symptoms (see panel, right).

* For more information call the Roy Castle lung cancer helplines on 0800 358 7200 or Macmillan cancer line on 0808 808 2020.