CONTENTS:

1.1 The Incidence of Lung Cancer

 

 

Forward to Section 1B Lung Cancer and Smoking. You are currently on 1A Incidence of Lung Cancer.

 

Screening of non-symptomatic individuals for lung cancer is not standard in many countries. However, where lung cancer screening is  carried out for screening, it is relatively new.  Furthermore, clinical guidelines for patient selection and the screening techniques used in the clinic are still being developed.

This site is divided into eight sections that include a summary of lung cancer screening, imaging, benign lung conditions, atypical and in-situ lung conditions, lung cancer types, pathology tests, lung cancer staging and treatment.

 

 
 

1.1 The Incidence of Lung Cancer

 
In the U.S. and Europe, lung cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosis, but lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. Worldwide, lung cancer has been increasing; this is due to an increase in the number of people who smoke.

Women who smoke are at greater risk of developing lung cancer than men. In some developed countries where men are giving up smoking, and their mortality from lung cancer is decreasing, mortality due to lung cancer is increasing in women, reflecting an increase in the number of women who smoke.

 

 
 

Figure 1.1 International Variation In Age-Standardized
Lung Cancer Incidence Rates.

Courtesy of the American Cancer Society,
Cancer Facts & Figures 2010.

 

Figure 1.2 US Estimated Cancer Cases in Men and Women.

Courtesy of the American Cancer Society
Cancer Facts & Figures 2010.

 

 
 

Figure 1.3 US Estimated Cancer Deaths in Men and Women.

Courtesy of the American Cancer Society,
Cancer Facts & Figures 2010.

 

 
 

Incidence of Lung Cancer over the Years

 
In 2008, the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there were 1.4 million lung cancer deaths, worldwide. In 2010, the American Cancer Society (ACS) published its worldwide lung cancer statistics.

In 2013, the American Cancer Society (ACS) predicted that there would be more than 224,000 newly diagnosed cases of lung cancer in the U.S., with up to 160,000 lung cancer associated deaths.

Indeed, it is a sad fact that 75 % of patients with lung cancer first present with symptoms due to locally advanced or metastatic disease; neither of which are likely to be cured.

Despite some advances in lung cancer therapy, the five-year survival rates only average approximately 16 % of all patients with lung cancer.

Thus, rather than screening for the presence of lung cancer, prevention of smoking should be the best way to reduce the long-term clinical burden of lung cancer.

 

 
 

Figure 1.4 Trends in Five-Year Relative Cancer Survival
Rates in the US in Men and Women.

Courtesy of the American Cancer Society.
Cancer Facts & Figures 2010.

 

 
 

References:

 
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2010. Atlanta: American Cancer Society. (Retrieved 22^nd Jan 2015): http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@nho/documents/document/acspc-024113.pdf

Jemal A, Bray F, Center M, Ferlay J, Ward E, Forman D. (2011). Global cancer statistics. CA Cancer J Clin. 61, 69–90. (Retrieved 22^nd Jan 2015): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21296855

More references for this section are on this page.

 

Patient Information:

 
World Health Organization (WHO) Cancer (Retrieved 14^th March 2015):http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Lung and Bronchus Cancer (Retrieved 14^th March 2015): http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/lungb.html

More patient information for this section is on this page.

Forward to Section 1B Lung Cancer and Cigarette Smoking.