Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer in the world. It kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney, and melanoma cancers...combined - impacting one in 14 Americans. Each year in the United States, lung cancer in never-smokers kills more people than AIDS. It accounts for 14% of all new cancer diagnoses, but is 28% of all cancer deaths. Sadly, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer is only 15%...the same as it was nearly 40 years ago! Yet, it receives a mere fraction of the attention and research funding.
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Cancer Deaths in the United States
Estimated Cancer Deaths in 2010 1. Lung (Includes current, former, and never smokers.): 157,300 2. Colorectal: 51,370 3. Breast: 39,840 4. Pancreatic: 36,800 5. Prostate: 32, 050 6. "Never Smoker" Lung: 28,000 7. Leukemia: 21,840 8. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: 20,210 9. Liver: 18,910 10. Bladder: 14,680 11. Ovarian: 13,850 11. Brain: 13,140 12. Kidney: 13,040 Source: SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975 - 2007, National Cancer Inst. Nearly 80% of new lung cancer cases are in former or never smokers. Current smokers: 20.9% Former smokers: 60% Never smoked: 17.9% Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, "Cigarette Smokign Among Adults - United States, 2006", November 9, 2007/56(4): 1157-1161, Table 2 Five Year Survival Rates
SEER Cancer Statistics Review 1975-2009, posted in 2012.
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Causes of Death in the United States
Actual Deaths in 2007 1. Heart Disease: 616,067 2. Lung Cancer: 158,760 3. Stroke: 135,952 4. Accident: 123,706 5. Diabetes: 71,382 6. Alzheimers: 74,632 7. Pneumonia: 52,306 8. Colorectal Cancer: 53,586 9. Kidney Disease: 46,448 10. Breast Cancer: 40,970 11. Septicemia: 34,828 12. Suicide: 34,598 13. Pancratic Cancer: 34,117 14. Liver Disease: 29,165 15. Prostate Cancer: 29,093 16. Leukemia: 21,825 17. Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma: 20,528 18. Parkinson's Disease: 20,058 19. Homicide: 18,361 20. Liver Cancer: 17,146 21. Ovarian Cancer: 14,621 22. Bladder Cancer: 13,843 23. Esophageal Cancer: 13,592 24. Brain Cancer: 13,234 25. Emphysema: 12,790 26. Kidney Cancer: 12,703 27. HIV/AIDS: 11,295 Source: Xu JQ, Kochanek KD, Murphy SL, Tejada-Vera B. Deaths: Final Data for 2007. National vital statistics reports web release; vol 58 no 19. Hyattsvilee, Md: National Center for Health Statistics. Released May, 2010. |
Lung cancer kills over 430 Americans EVERY DAY. Roughly 220,000 Americans are diagnosed each year and nearly 160,000 die. It kills nearly THREE TIMES as many men as prostate cancer and nearly TWICE as many women as breast cancer. It surpassed breast cancer as the #1 cancer killer of women in 1987. In fact, many thought leaders consider lung cancer to be a "Contemporary Epidemic in American Women".
Quitting Smoking Will Greatly Improve Your Health,
but It Will Not Cure Lung Cancer.
Nearly 80% of new cases are diagnosed in those who have NEVER touched a cigarette in their lives or who have quite decades ago...AND THIS NUMBER IS RISING.
The focus on lung cancer – from the American Cancer Society to the Federal Government to other public health organizations – has been on smoking prevention and cessation. This is EXTREMELY important. The best way to reduce your risk is to NEVER START SMOKING and to QUIT if you do smoke.
HOWEVER, if everyone quit smoking today, lung cancer would STILL be a public health issue for thirty or forty years. Lung cancer in NEVER-smokers is still the SIXTH LARGEST cancer killer in the world.
Nonsmoking-related causes of lung cancer include Genetics, Air pollution (as high a cancer risk as living with a smoker), Radon (the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer, after tobacco smoke), and Exposure to asbestos, uranium, arsenic, diesel fuel and other carcinogens.
The focus on lung cancer – from the American Cancer Society to the Federal Government to other public health organizations – has been on smoking prevention and cessation. This is EXTREMELY important. The best way to reduce your risk is to NEVER START SMOKING and to QUIT if you do smoke.
HOWEVER, if everyone quit smoking today, lung cancer would STILL be a public health issue for thirty or forty years. Lung cancer in NEVER-smokers is still the SIXTH LARGEST cancer killer in the world.
Nonsmoking-related causes of lung cancer include Genetics, Air pollution (as high a cancer risk as living with a smoker), Radon (the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer, after tobacco smoke), and Exposure to asbestos, uranium, arsenic, diesel fuel and other carcinogens.
Screening & Diagnosis Are Major Challenges.
In its early stages, lung cancer is often symptomless. In later stages, symptoms can include persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, hoarseness, recurrent pneumonia & bronchitis, fatigue, and weight loss.
3 out of 5 patients diagnosed with lung cancer will die within 12 months.
The five-year survival rate of lung cancer is only 15.8%. Breast cancer has a 89% five-year survival rate. Prostate cancer's five-year survival rate is 99.1%.
