Lung Cancer

What Is Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer
death for men and women.
It is also the most preventable form of cancer.
Tobacco use accounts for 87% of lung cancers.
There are two major types of lung cancer:
1. Non-small cell lung cancer (87%)
2. Small cell lung cancer (13%)
Each grows and spreads in different ways and
is treated differently.
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 The American Cancer Society’s
Estimates

In the United States during 2008:

 215,020 new cases of lung cancer will be
diagnosed.

 161,840 deaths will occur as the result of this

disease.

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 Who Is At Risk?
Cigarette smoking is by far the greatest risk factor
for lung cancer.
 The longer a person uses tobacco and the more they use,
the greater their risk.
 If a person quits before cancer develops, the damaged
lung tissue gradually improves.

Others at risk include:

 Nonsmokers who breathe in secondhand smoke.
 Occupational or environmental exposure to radon,
asbestos, certain metals, radiation or air pollution. If
people are exposed to the above carcinogens & also
Lung smoke, their risk is greatly increased.
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 Reducing Your Risk
Quitting tobacco use, or not starting at all, is by
far the best way to prevent lung cancer.

Other ways to reduce your risk include:

 Avoid secondhand tobacco smoke

 Eat a healthy, balanced diet with at least five servings of

fruits and vegetables every day

 Take protective measures against cancer-causing

chemicals at work

 Monitor indoor radon levels, especially in the home

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 Symptoms
Symptoms of lung cancer may include:

•Persistent cough

•Sputum streaked with blood

•Chest pain

•Voice change

•Recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis

These are also warning signs of other, less serious

illnesses, so if they appear, they should be discussed
with your doctor.
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 Detection
Because symptoms often do not appear until the
disease has spread, early detection is difficult.

When lung cancer is diagnosed

early, it is usually a result of
tests for unrelated conditions.

If lung cancer is suspected,

tests such as a chest x-ray,
analysis of cells in the phlegm,
and a biopsy may be done.

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 Treatment
Treatment is most successful when cancer is
detected early.

Often, two or more treatment methods are used.

Patients should
thoroughly discuss
treatment options
with their doctors.

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 Treatment Options
Surgery to remove tumors, chemotherapy, and
radiation—in combination or alone—are common
treatments for lung cancer.
Surgery – An operation to remove cancer cells.

Radiation therapy – Uses high-energy rays to shrink or kill

cancer cells.

Chemotherapy – Uses anticancer drugs that attack cancer cells

and normal cells. These drugs are usually given
by injection or by mouth.

Treatment options depend on cancer type and

Lung stage of cancer.
Cancer
 Survival Rates
5-year localized survival rate is 49%
 Localized cancer is cancer that, at the time of diagnosis,
had not spread to additional sites within the body.
Typically, the earlier a cancer is detected and diagnosed,
the more successful the treatment, thus enhancing the
survival rate. Only 16% of lung cancers are diagnosed at
this early stage.

5-year overall survival rate is 15%

 The 5-year survival rates represent persons who are
living 5 years after diagnosis, whether disease-free, in
remission, or under treatment. They do not imply that 5-
year survivors have been permanently cured of cancer.

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 How Will Cancer Affect Me And
My Family?
From the time of diagnosis, everyone is affected
in some way, even family and friends.

The American Cancer Society works to enhance aspects

of life often challenged by this disease through:
• Reducing the physical toll of cancer.
• Reducing barriers to allow those affected to continue
with their day-to-day lives.
• Reducing the social and financial impact of cancer.
• Preserving the spiritual well-being of those affected.
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 Patient Concerns
People with lung cancer are often distressed
about their physical appearance, including
weight loss; the social stigma and guilt associated
with tobacco use; and end of life issues due to the
low survival rate.

Other concerns include:

 Changes in what they are able to do after treatment
 Impact on finances and loved ones
 Fear of recurrence
 Sleep difficulties

Lung  Pain
Cancer  Depression
 You Are Not Alone
In recent years, the quality
of life for those who are
living with cancer has received
increased attention.

No one has to make the

cancer journey alone.

The American Cancer Society provides sources of

information and support to cancer patients, their
families, and friends. These include access to secure
and private online chats, message boards, and support
groups.
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 Connecting With Others
ACS Survivors NetworkSM is one source of support
for people with cancer and their families and friends.
The Network will help you find and talk to others
who share your interests and experiences.

Visit our Internet site at

www.acscsn.org.

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 Hope For The Future
Tobacco control specialists are studying:
 How to help people quit tobacco use.
 How to prevent young people from starting this habit.
 How to prevent lung cancer in people at high risk.

Researchers are also studying:

 New technologies, such as computed tomography (CT)
scans, and tests that identify DNA changes in lung cancer
cells.
 New chemotherapy drugs and drug combinations.
 Gene therapy’s potential for preventing or treating lung
Lung cancer.
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 The Bottom Line
The number of Americans who get lung cancer is
decreasing, primarily due to a decrease in adult
tobacco use over the past 30 years.

Tobacco use among teens

and pre-teens, however, has
increased in recent years,
raising the potential for
higher lung cancer
rates in the future.

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 The Bottom Line
An estimated 45 million adults (21% of the
population) are current smokers

Until tobacco use is sharply decreased, lung

cancer will continue to be the
number one cause of cancer death
in the United States, killing more than 161,000
Americans every year.

Stopping the use of tobacco could nearly

wipe out lung cancer.

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 Tobacco Use Prevention
Preventing initiation in adolescents is the most effective
tobacco use prevention strategy.

What prevents initiation?

• Increasing the cost of tobacco products through
taxes. (Rates of smoking are highly correlated
with price of cigarettes.)
• Reducing youth access (prohibit sale to
individuals less than 18 years old).
• Develop counter-marketing campaigns against
tobacco use to show how youth are being
manipulated by the tobacco industry.

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 Tobacco Use Prevention Cont…
Additional ways to decrease Tobacco Use:
•Support Comprehensive State Tobacco Control
Programs

•Strengthening Smoking Bans and Restrictions by

Supporting Clean Indoor Air Campaigns

•Help Smokers Quit

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 High Plains Quitlines

• Kansas – 1-866-KAN-STOP
• Missouri – 1-800-Quit-Now
• Nebraska – 1-800-Quit-Now
• Oklahoma – 1-800-784-8669
• Texas – 1-877-937-7848
• Hawaii – 1-800-Quit-Now

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 Contact The American Cancer
Society
American Cancer Society programs and services
are available 24 hours a day,
7 days a week.

To reach us:
 Visit the American Cancer Society Internet site at
www.cancer.org.

 Call toll-free, 1–800–ACS–2345.

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 Additional Resources
National Cancer Institute
Cancer Information Service
Telephone: 1–800–4–CANCER (toll free)
Internet: www.nci.nih.gov

American Lung Association

Telephone: 1–800–586–4872 (toll free) or
212–315–8700
Internet: www.lungusa.org

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 Additional Resources
American Heart Association
Telephone: 1–800–AHA-USA1 (toll free)
Internet: www.americanheart.org

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Telephone: 202–296–5469
Internet: www.tobaccofreekids.org

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