Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Survival Statistics  

• As many as 222,000 men and women in the U.S. were diagnosed and 157,000 died of cancer of the lung and bronchus in 2010.
• The present 5-year survival rate in the United States for lung cancer is only 15%.
• 30% of all cancer deaths, including 87% of lung cancer deaths, can be attributed to tobacco.
• In recent years, an increasing number of lung cancers are found in the periphery of the lungs, a shift that has largely been attributed to increased use of filtered cigarettes: smokers must inhale more deeply to achieve the same amount of nicotine, sending the smoke into the far reaches of the lungs. By contrast, in Asia - where unfiltered cigarettes are common - lesions are more likely to occur more centrally in the lungs.
• Radon is the No. 1 cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year (about 13.1% who have never smoked).
• Secondhand smoke is the third-leading cause of lung cancer deaths, claiming 3,000 lives each year.
• More than 75% of new lung cancer cases present with late-stage cancer (Stage III or IV).
• In a recent study published in the NEJM, lung cancer diagnosed at Stage I resulted in a survival rate of 88% at 10 years.

Lung Cancer Treatment

Current detection options offer varying results.

• Chest X-rays are able to detect lesions 1-2cm.
• A Spiral CT Scan can detect tumors less than 1 cm, but this is more costly.
• TransThoracic Needle Aspiration (with the help of a CT scan) is a needle inserted between the ribs and into the peripheral lung tissue where a bronchoscope cannot reach. The treatment is invasive and the patient is at risk up to 30% for a collapsed lung.
• “Watchful waiting” is also an option for patients with small lesions, in order to avoid a surgical procedure on a lesion that may be benign.