Understanding lung cancer
In the United States, lung cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer, and smoking is the leading cause.
Why is lung cancer so dangerous?
- Hard to detect early: Lung cancer often has no clear signs or symptoms at first, allowing harmful cells to grow and spread without you noticing.
- Often found too late: In the U.S., about 9 out of 10 people with lung cancer do not survive, and about half are diagnosed after age 70.
- Harder to treat when found late: When lung cancer is diagnosed at a late stage, treatment is much more difficult. On average, patients live about 2 years after diagnosis.
What should we do?
- The best approach is to get screened and find problems early—before you feel sick.
- Finding lung cancer early and starting treatment right away gives you the best chance for a cure.
