Lung cancer

Report: More Must Be Done to Eliminate Lung Cancer in the United States

Today the American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE released its first State of Lung Cancer report, which highlights the state-by-state toll of lung cancer in the United States.

While there have been advancements in detecting and treating lung cancer, more has to be done to reduce the burden from state to state. Because treatment options, exposure to risk factors, and access to screening facilities vary from state to state, the burden of lung cancer is not the same everywhere.

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The report ranks incidence and survival rates, stage at diagnosis, surgical treatment, and availability of screening facilities of each state.

The findings outlined in the report include:

  • Nationally, the 5-year survival rate was 20%, ranging from 24% in New York to 15.9% in Louisiana.
  • Delaware had the most screening facilities per million people at 21.1 centers, whereas Utah had the fewest at 0.7 centers.
  • Only 18.9% of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage nationally, ranging from 23.3% in Wyoming to 15.0% in Hawaii.
  • In terms of patients undergoing surgical treatment as part of the first course of treatment, Massachusetts had the largest amount and Oklahoma had the lowest (30.1% vs 14.3%).

“As the American Lung Association works toward defeating lung cancer, it is the goal of the LUNG FORCE ‘State of Lung Cancer’ report to empower the public with the knowledge and information to appeal to state governors and raise awareness of this deadly disease,” the report concludes.

“The report found that in addition to incidence, early diagnosis, and surgical treatment, it is imperative for states to track survival rate and to identify opportunities to enact lung cancer interventions like decreasing exposure to radon and secondhand smoke, and eliminating tobacco use.”

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

American Lung Association's inaugural LUNG FORCE 'state of lung cancer' report finds every state must do more to combat lung cancer [press release]. Chicago, Illinois: American Lung Association; February 27, 2018. http://www.lung.org/about-us/media/press-releases/state-of-lung-cancer.html. Accessed February 28, 2018.