November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month: Join the AACR in Advancing Research for Prevention and Treatment
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, affecting both men and women. In fact, more men die from lung cancer than from prostate and colorectal cancer combined, and more women die from lung cancer than from breast cancer—an estimated 59,280 lung cancer deaths in 2024 compared to 42,250 from breast cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 234,580 people will be diagnosed with lung or bronchus cancer in 2024, and 125,070 will die from the disease. Smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer, responsible for 80% to 90% of deaths. Other risk factors include exposure to secondhand smoke, a family history of lung cancer, radiation therapy to the chest or breast, workplace exposure to carcinogens like asbestos or radon, and a history of certain environmental exposures. The risk of lung cancer increases when smoking is combined with these additional factors.
Forms of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer comes in two main types: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC is the most common, accounting for approximately 80% of cases. It includes several subtypes, such as squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. SCLC, a fast-growing and aggressive form of cancer, accounts for about 10% to 15% of lung cancer cases. Unfortunately, most SCLC diagnoses occur at an advanced stage, with only 5% to 10% of patients surviving five years after diagnosis.
Screening Recommendations
Current guidelines recommend annual screening for lung cancer using low-dose CT scans for adults aged 50 to 80 who have a 20-pack-year smoking history and who are either current smokers or former smokers who quit within the past 15 years. A "pack-year" is the number of packs smoked per day multiplied by the number of years a person has smoked. For example, someone who smokes one pack per day for 20 years has a 20-pack-year smoking history.
Personal Stories of Lung Cancer
Phuong Ho, MD, initially thought she had asthma, only to discover she had lung cancer. You can read more about her experience in the AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report.
Daniel West shares his experience with lung cancer treatment and emphasizes, "The bottom line is anyone with lungs can get lung cancer." Read his story in the same report.
Taking Action on Smoking and Lung Cancer
The AACR advocates for policies to reduce tobacco use and prevent smoking-related cancers, including those associated with e-cigarettes. To learn more, read the AACR Cancer Research Catalyst blog on supporting tobacco cessation efforts.
What the AACR is Doing in Lung Cancer Research
The AACR is committed to advancing lung cancer research through grants and initiatives aimed at improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Some notable projects include:
Verra Ngwa, PhD, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, received the 2024 AACR-Lung Cancer Initiative at Johnson & Johnson START Grant for her work on the role of metabolic genes in adoptive T-cell therapy for lung cancer.
Lindsay M. LaFave, PhD, at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, received the 2023 AACR Career Development Award for research into chromatin plasticity in lung cancer evolution.
Javiera Garrido, MSc, PhD, at Universidad de Desarrollo in Chile, was awarded a 2023 MONARCA Grant for studying tumor variability and clinical progression in lung cancer in Latin America.
Earlier AACR funding helped Patrick Ma, MD, at Penn State Cancer Institute, in his groundbreaking research on the MET gene mutation in lung cancer, leading to targeted therapies for metastatic NSCLC patients.
Learn More
For more information on prevention, screening, and treatment options for lung cancer, visit the AACR's Lung Cancer page.
By supporting research and promoting awareness, we can work together to reduce the impact of lung cancer and improve survival rates.
Source: https://www.aacr.org/patients-caregivers/awareness-months/lung-cancer-awareness-month/