November is lung cancer awareness month and in America lung cancer is frequently diagnosed with 226,650 new cases each year (110,680 in men and 115,970 in women).
In the United States there are 124,730 deaths due to lung cancer each year (64,190 in men and 60,540 in women). Lung cancer mainly occurs in older people and most people diagnosed are 65 or older. A small number of people who are under 45 get diagnosed, but the average age to get diagnosed is 70.
Lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death in the US being every 1 in 5 cancer deaths. More people die from lung cancer each year than colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined.
Early detection for lung cancer can include screening tests and low dose ct scans. If lung cancer is found at an earlier stage it can be managed, but most people don’t experience symptoms until its at a higher stage
The U.S. preventive services task force recommends screening for those who are currently smoking or quit within the last 15 years to be tested. There are many treatment options for lung cancer which include surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.