Quick Quiz: Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in men and women and is the leading cause of cancer-related death.^1,2 The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 236,740 new cases of lung cancer (117,910 in men and 118,830 in women) will be diagnosed in 2022 and approximately 130,180 individuals (68,820 men and 61,360 women) will die from the disease.¹ In the United States, the number of new lung cancer cases in men has been declining annually since the mid-1980s. In women, the number of new cases diagnosed each year started declining in the mid-2000s. Between 2009 and 2018, incidence rates dropped 1.4% each year in women compared with 2.8% each year in men.³ How much do you know about lung cancer?

The 2 main types of lung cancer are small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), which makes up approximately 10% to 15% of cases, and non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which comprises approximately 84% of cases.³ The majority of individuals diagnosed with lung cancer are aged >65 years, with the median age at diagnosis being 70 years.¹ The 5-year overall survival rate for all lung cancers combined is 22%, including 18% in men and 25% in women.³ For SCLC, the overall 5-year survival rate for all stages combined is 7%; 29% for localized disease; 18% for regional disease; and 3% for distant disease.¹ For NSCLC, the overall 5-year survival rate for all stages combined is 26%; 64% for localized disease; 37% for regional disease; and 8% for distant disease.¹ Public awareness of SCLC and NSCLC needs to remain a priority to increase survival rates, reduce incidence rates, and improve patient quality of life.