Women living with or at risk for lung cancer often have different, and sometimes worse, experiences than men with the same disease. This is due in part to biological differences between men and women and in part to the historical exclusion of women in clinical trials. This has resulted in drugs that were tested predominantly on men and may affect women in different ways. 

Women, on average, are also diagnosed with lung cancer at younger ages than men and with shorter smoking histories, calling into question whether the United States Preventative Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) screening guidelines are sufficiently broad to include most women who are at risk for lung cancer.  

Dr. Narjust Florez, always a crowd favorite, joined GO2’s February 2024 Lung Cancer Living Room to discuss the different experiences and challenges women may face in lung cancer diagnoses, treatment, and survivorship. It was a lively discussion that included conversations about round treatment side effects, stigma, finances, and competing responsibilities at home. This month’s Living Room is a must-watch for everyone affected by lung cancer, even if you aren’t a woman. It provides valuable information about the state of lung cancer today and what you should know to inform and support the women in your life.  

Speakers: 
  • Narjust Florez, MD, Associate Director of The Cancer Care Equity Program, Thoracic Medical Oncologist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate Editor, JAMA Oncology  
  • Danielle Hicks, Chief Patient Officer, GO2 for Lung Cancer 
Discussed in this episode:  
  • Dr. Florez partnered with GO2 to complete a first-ever survey of sexual health in women who are living with lung cancer. This resource explains what you can do to improve your sexual health and how to talk to your doctor about it.  
  • The American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts and Figures 2024 is an annual report detailing cancer incidence in the United States and shows that more women than men will receive a lung cancer diagnosis this year (page 12).  
  • The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that all adults between the ages of 50 and 80 who have a20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years be screened annually for lung cancer with a low-dose CT scan. 
  • Many women diagnosed with lung cancer experience stigma related to their diagnosis. This brochure can help you to understand stigma, why it occurs, and what you can do about it.  

Please join us on March 19 at 5:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. ET for the next Lung Cancer Living Room covering small cell lung cancer. Join in person at our San Carlos, CA office or watch on YouTube Live.   

For more information on the Living Room, other GO2 for Lung Cancer programs, or support through diagnosis and treatment, please contact GO2’s HelpLine at 1-800-298-2436 or email support@go2.org.