Lung cancer is devastating: It takes more lives than breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers COMBINED and accounts for 1/3 of all cancer deaths. Most Americans are not eligible for preventative screening.

LUNG CANCER FACTS

  • Lung cancer is unrelenting and with low levels of preventative screening, only 26.6% will live five years past their diagnosis.
  • More than half of all lung cancers occur in people who have already quit smoking or never smoked.
  • 15-25% of all lung cancers occur in people who have never smoked.
  • 1 in 16 men and 1 in 17 women will develop lung cancer during their lifetime.
  • More than 238,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year; 127,000 people will die from it.
  • 74% of lung cancer cases are diagnosed in stage 3 or 4.
  • There is hope; more new treatments have been approved in the last decade than in the previous 30 years.
  • Simple awareness can lead to earlier diagnoses and lives saved.
  • Annual low dose CT scans for those with certain risk factors have been proven to reduce lung cancer deaths by up to 61%. (Nelson Study, 2018)
  • Half of those diagnosed with lung cancer live in low-income communities.
  • Psychosocial challenges associated with lung cancer lead to increased rates of depression and anxiety.
  • Anyone can get lung cancer – and no one deserves it!
Lung Cancer Facts (PDF) Lung Cancer Facts - spanish

PROGRAMS TO ADVANCE MISSION

Lung Cancer Research Program is vital to saving lives and one day, as early detection efforts improve, to preventing late-stage diagnoses. ABOH awards provide funding to America’s most talented lung cancer researchers to support their life-saving projects. Focus areas include late-stage treatments, novel strategies for the early detection of lung cancer, and better understanding the biology of women and lung cancer.

White Ribbon Awareness Program (WRAP) is an ongoing awareness campaign composed of educational events and public presentations. All events provide patient resources and the facts about lung cancer. Anyone interested in learning more about lung cancer is welcome.

Patient & Family Support Program utilizes screened and trained volunteers to provide patients with companionship and rides to treatment or medical appointments