Estimated Cancer Deaths in 2009

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States among every ethnic group... 1 in every 3 cancer deaths.

Lung cancer will kill:

• More people than the next four deadly cancers... combined.
• Over three times as many men as prostate cancer.
• Nearly twice as many women as breast cancer.
• An average of 437 people a day.

Percent of New Lung Cancer Cases

Over 60% of new cases are never smokers or former smokers, many of whom quit decades ago.

One in five women and one in twelve men diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked.

Tong L, Spitz MR, Fueger JJ, et al: "Lung carcinoma in former smokers". Cancer 78:1004-10, 1996.
Warner EE, Mulshine JL, "Lung Cancer Screening with Spiral Ct: Toward a work strategy." Oncology (Williston Park). 2004 May; 18(5):564-75, discussion 578, 583-4, 587.

Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program: http://seer.cancer.gov

Five Year Survival Rates

In 1971 President Richard Nixon officially declared the "War on Cancer". In the past four decades many cancers have seen their five-year survival rates increase as a direct result of research, treatments, screening and diagnosis tools. In 1971 lung cancer had a five year survival rate of only 13.2%.  Forty years later, that five year survival rate remains at 15%.

Cancer Research Funding

Sources:
NCI spending for FY09: http://report.nih.gov/rcdc/categories/

CDC appropriations for FY09: http://www.cdc.gov/fmo/topic/Budget%20Information/index.html
DOD cancer funding for FY09: http://cdmrp.army.mil
Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program: http://seer.cancer.gov/

Download our Lung Cancer Fact Sheet (.pdf)