Lung Cancer | Cancer Types - National Foundation for Cancer Research

Lung Cancer

Lung Cancer

Hundreds of thousands of people are diagnosed with lung cancer in the U.S. each year. Thankfully, researchers are making great strides in understanding this disease and how to more effectively treat it.

Key Facts

  • In the U.S., an estimated 238,340 people will receive a diagnosis of lung cancer this year.
  • Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women and expects to claim 127,070 lives in 2023 in the U.S.
  • While cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer, almost 20% of lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers.  
  • Only 24% of people with lung cancer receive the diagnosis at the earliest stage, when the disease is most treatable. The five-year survival for early stage, localized lung cancer is 61%.
  • Currently, a low-dose CT scan is the only proven effective way to screen for lung cancer.
Source: American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts & Figures 2023

Signs and Symptoms

  • A cough that does not go away or gets worse
  • Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)
  • Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
  • Hoarseness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling tired or weak
  • Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back
  • New onset of wheezing
Source: American Cancer Society
Lung Cancer Location
238340
new cases expected in 2023
127070
deaths annually
24
of cases detected early
Silver Brain Cancer Ribbon

Lung Cancer Awareness Month is recognized in November. To help accelerate cures please make a gift today.

Researchers Working on Lung Cancer

Wei Zhang, Ph.D.
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Michael B. Sporn, M.D.
Geisel School of Medicine
Daniel Von Hoff, M.D
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)
Aaron N. Hata, M.D., Ph.D.
Aaron N. Hata, M.D., Ph.D. Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital
Jessica J. Lin, M.D.
Jessica J. Lin, M.D. Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital
Daniel A. Haber, M.D., Ph.D.
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
Susan B. Horwitz, Ph.D.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Amos B. Smith III, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Alice T. Shaw, M.D., Ph.D.
Massachusetts General Hospital

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