In recent years there has been a large increase in the number of nurse specialist roles in lung cancer care. However, many of these posts have developed quickly with little planning or evaluation. This paper describes an attempt by the authors to develop an evidence base for a new lung cancer nurse specialist role in a cancer centre within a large teaching hospital trust in South East London. It draws on findings from a review of the cancer literature, data from patient and staff interviews at the trust involved, and data from a survey of nurse specialists working with patients with lung cancer in the United Kingdom.