Some Facts And Statistics About Lung Cancer
More than 172,500 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2005.
Lung cancer claims more lives each year than breast cancer, colorectal cancer and prostate cancer combined.
Over 13% of cancers diagnosed in 2005 will be lung cancer. Lung cancer will also account for about 28% of the deaths from all forms of cancer in 2005.
The incidence of lung cancer has been rising among women since 1960. Between 1960 and 1990, the incidence of lung cancer in women increased over 400%.
The incidence of lung cancer among African American men is about 50% higher than it is among Caucasian men. African American men are about 30% more likely to die of lung cancer than Caucasian men.
1 in 13 men and 1 in 18 women will develop lung cancer during their lives.
87% of all lung cancers are related to smoking tobacco.
Fewer than 16% of lung cancer cases are detected in the first (localized) stage. The five year survival rate for lung cancer detected in its first stage is 49%. The overall five year survival rate for lung cancer is less than 15%.
The sheer numbers of people who will be diagnosed with lung cancer annually are so large that they tend to lose all meaning. What's 172,500 people? It's a city the size of Columbus, Ohio. It's 473 people every single day. It's very likely to be someone that you know, someone that you love. Take it a step further. Of those 473 people who learned today that they have lung cancer, 237 will not be alive in five years. If someone you love is diagnosed with lung cancer tomorrow, they have a 1 in 2 chance of surviving to the five year mark. And that is a grim statistic to face.
There is less grim news about lung cancer, though. From 1990 to 2001, the risk of developing lung cancer for men dropped sharply and continues to drop. The risk of a woman developing lung cancer rose steeply from 1960 to the late 1990s, but the rate of new diagnoses of lung cancer in women seems to have leveled since 1998. If it follows the same pattern as the rates of lung cancer among men, the next several years should see a sharp decrease in the diagnoses of new lung cancer cases among women.
There has also been headway in the research into cures and prevention of lung cancer. The medical profession is becoming more open to accepting different treatment approaches, including holistic health practices, nutritional practices - even the idea that positive attitude can make the difference in the chances of surviving a bout with lung cancer. Research is focusing on prevention AND cures - and there's a great deal of good news in both areas. Advances in knowledge are coming at a rapid rate - it has never been as likely that there WILL be a cure for cancer within our lifetime.
Lung Cancer - Overview
Lung Cancer is a type of cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages. Many lung cancers begin in the bronchi though others can start in other parts of the lungs. Lung cancer also has a tendency to form in the glands below the bronchi.
Lung Cancer - Probabilities
Lung cancer causes up to 30% of all cancer related deaths, and it is the 2nd leading cause of death among both men and women in western society. 85% of all lung cancers are caused by a person's smoking habit or just by breathing in the second-hand smoke of others.
Lung Cancer - Screening
At this moment in time, there is no particularly useful single test that can be considered 100% reliable for the early detection of lung cancer. Unfortunately unless someone is undergoing a health screen for something completely unrelated, lung cancer is very often only discovered in the later stages of the disease when it is often too late to do anything but offer palliative treatment.
Lung Cancer - Symptoms
The most common indicators and symptoms of lung cancer include the following: Fatigue Shortness of breath and wheezing (dyspnoea) A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis Constant chest pain Coughing up blood (bloody sputum) (haemoptysis) Swelling of the neck and face Fever Loss of appetite and Weight loss (anorexia) Hoarse voice
Lung Cancer Treatment Options - Radiation
In many cases of lung cancer, surgery is not an option. This may be because of the advanced stage of the cancer, the location of the tumor or tumors, or because of the overall general health of the patient. In those cases, the oncologist may suggest radiation therapy to treat lung cancer. Even if surgery is an option, the doctor may suggest irradiation either before therapy to shrink the tumor or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Lung Cancer - Trends by Ethnicity, Sex and Race
In the USA and many other western countries, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Lung cancer has been found to be the leading cancer killer among Caucasians, African-Americans, Asians and Hispanic males.