Held to raise awareness about the leading cause of cancer-related deaths both in the United States and worldwide, Lung Cancer Awareness Month has been observed nationally each November since 2000. And today, more than two decades later, the month dedicated to highlighting lung cancer risks, prevention strategies, research and more is recognized annually by more than 20 million people throughout the U.S. and beyond. Many of them wear a white ribbon as a sign of their support and advocacy.
What is lung cancer?
Lung cancer is a disease that begins when harmful cells in the lungs, the sponge-like set of organs in the chest that facilitate breathing, begin to grow out of control. From there, this type of cancer can spread (or metastasize) to other parts of the body such as the liver, bones or brain.
Types of lung cancer
There are two main types of lung cancer:
- small cell lung cancer, which accounts for 10% to 15% of all lung cancers
- non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for 80% to 85% of all lung cancers.
Healthcare professionals can determine which type of lung cancer a patient has based on the appearance of the cancer cells when viewed under a microscope. As the names imply, small cell cancer cells appear small and round under a microscope, while non-small cell cancer cells appear larger in size. Another big difference between the two lung cancer types is that small cell lung cancer is typically more aggressive than non-small cell lung cancer, growing and spreading at a faster rate and often having already spread beyond the lungs at the time of diagnosis.
Lung cancer statistics
Some key lung cancer statistics from the American Cancer Society include:
- While lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States, it’s the leading cause of cancer-related death in each. Its mortality numbers exceed those of breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined.
- Cigarette smoking is the cause of 80% of diagnosed lung cancers and lung cancer deaths.
- About one in 16 American men will develop lung cancer over the course of their lifetime, while the risk for American women is slightly lower, at about one in 17.
- An estimated 234,580 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2024, with 118,270 of those in women and 116,310 of them in men.
- Lung cancer will cause an estimated 125,070 deaths in the U.S. in 2024, with 65,790 of those being in men and 59,280 of them being in women.
Environmental risk factors
Several risk factors can increase a person’s likelihood of developing lung cancer, with many of them being environmental factors.
Some of the top risk factors include:
- Tobacco smoke, which is by far the leading risk factor for lung cancer (As noted above, cigarette smoking is responsible for about 80% of U.S. lung cancer cases and deaths.)
- Exposure to radon gas (a gas that forms naturally in rocks, soil and water and that can’t be seen, tasted or smelled) — the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States
- Secondhand smoke, the third most common cause of lung cancer in the United States
- Asbestos exposure
- Occupational hazards, including chemical exposure (some top examples here include arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, silica, nickel compounds, chromium compounds, coal products and mustard gas) and exposure to other cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) in the workplace such as radioactive ores (uranium, for instance) and diesel exhaust
- Taking certain dietary supplements such as beta-carotene supplements (especially for heavy smokers)
- Consuming high levels of arsenic and radon in drinking water (most commonly from private wells)
- Air pollution, low indoor air quality and other environmental health risks, including pollutants such as diesel exhaust
Prevention and risk reduction
While not all lung cancers are preventable, by avoiding the controllable risk factors outlined above to the greatest extent possible, patients can reduce their risks for developing the disease.
Some of the most effective steps you can take to prevent lung cancer include:
- Avoiding or quitting smoking
- Steering clear of secondhand smoke
- Getting your residence tested for radon, as recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Being careful to avoid exposure to carcinogens at work
- Eating a healthy diet that includes high levels of fruits and vegetables
Breathe easier — with help from Wilmington Health
The Pulmonary and Allergy team at Wilmington Health is dedicated to meeting the needs of patients suffering from diseases of the lungs and respiratory system. Each of Wilmington Health’s pulmonary care physicians possesses specialized knowledge and skills in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary conditions such as lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, pneumonia, sleep disorders, and pulmonary fibrosis.
To learn more about Wilmington Health’s Pulmonary and Allergy team and the compassionate, quality care its members provide, visit our website today.