LCA’S Commitment: Better Grades

LCA’s mission is to reverse decades of stigma and neglect by empowering patients, elevating awareness and changing health policy.

Advocate for increased research dollars

LCA will engage and educate key policy makers at the state and federal level on the public health impact of lung cancer and the urgent need for more research funding to finally begin to reduce lung cancer mortality.

	National Cancer Institute	Make research to support lung cancer prevention, detection and treatment a top funding priority. Reduce lung cancer’s mortality rate by 50% by 2015. Increase translational research funding and the number of lung cancer Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORES) sites. Encourage more collaboration between NCI and other NIH research centers.
	Centers for Disease Control	Initiate programs for lung cancer research and public education. Relocate lung cancer to the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. Improve data collection and public information on lung cancer.
	Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services	Provide coverage for all lung cancer clinical trials and treatments. Secure coverage for lung cancer screening for high risk seniors.
	Food and Drug Administration	Keep all drugs for late stage lung cancer accessible to all patients. Work with NCI to expedite chemoprevention drugs for lung cancer. Give FDA regulatory authority over tobacco products.
	Department of Defense (DOD)	Establish a lung cancer research program. Utilize technology expertise to developed advanced computer assisted diagnostic programs to enhance CT screening and reduce costs.
	Department of Veterans Affairs	Initiate a coordinated early detection screening and treatment research program for veterans at high risk for lung cancer. LCA will continue to strengthen strategic alliances with VSOs.
	Department of Justice	Continue to advocate for strong penalties against Big Tobacco in the U.S. Government suit against Phillip Morris et al.
	Department of Energy	• BRAVO! The ONLY federal agency to protect its high risk employees by offering free CT screening for lung cancer for workers in munitions plants. Increased funding to maintain and expand the program.

Advocate for Smoking Prevention and Cessation Programs

LCA strongly supports all efforts to dissuade children from smoking, to encourage smokers of all ages to quit, to advocate for smoke free work environments, to increase tobacco taxes, to ensure that states fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs at CDC recommended levels, to regulate tobacco products, and to encourage novel (quit) approaches, such as smoking cessation assistance tied to CT screening.

State Chapters: Organizing the Grass Roots Movement

LCA will continue to expand state chapters and build national grass roots networks. LCA is providing the support and scaffolding for patients and their families and caregivers to become part of the growing grassroots movement to take up the fight for change. Publicly funded state cancer plans across the country have ignored lung cancer. Dedicated advocates have organized in key states to take the message to their state representatives and local media: No more excuses. Lung cancer research funding—NOW.

Patient Support and Empowerment

LCA will continue to track and communicate new diagnostic and treatment options through educational materials, newsletters and E-Alerts. LCA will educate patients about clinical trials as a treatment option through LCA’s clinical trials matching service. LCA will work within the support community to expand the reach and scope of the LCA Online Survivors Community, the LCA Phone Buddy program, and the LCA toll-free Information Line.

View Entire 2007 Report Card on Lung Cancer (pdf)