Lung cancer may still be the leading cause of cancer death among American women and men, but more people than ever are surviving the disease, according to a new report from the American Lung Association. 

The report concluded that although survival rates from the devastating illness have dramatically increased over the past decade, states need to increase their screening and prevention efforts to further curb its spread.

Lungs. Source: Getty

“Lung cancer has touched far too many lives, and this year’s State of Lung Cancer report offers tremendous hope and reaffirms our belief in the lifesaving potential of screening and cancer research to turn the tide against this disease,” Harold Wimmer, MS, President and CEO of the American Lung Association said in a statement. 

The report found that the five-year lung cancer survival rate now stands at 21.7%, a 26% increase from the 17.2% rate documented only a decade ago. Similarly, the rate of new cases has decreased by 19% over that same period. 

The report also examined lung cancer burden on a state-by-state basis, including incidence, survival, early diagnosis, and screening among high-risk individuals. Perhaps not surprisingly, the rate of new lung cancer cases was found to vary greatly with geography. Indeed, while Utah has the nation’s lowest lung cancer rate at 27.1%, Kentucky boasts the highest, at 92.6%. A variety of factors were found to be associated with this incidence, including smoking, exposure to radon gas, air pollution, and secondhand smoke. 

Survival rates also varied widely by state, ranging from a high of 26.4% in Connecticut to a low of 16.8% in Alabama.

And while the report is generally good news for the state of lung cancer in the nation, its authors recognized that the fight is far from over, particularly with respect to early screening. 

“To truly realize the benefit of lung cancer screening, states need to ensure that those eligible for screening are aware of the simple test and speak with their doctor,” Mr. Wimmer said. 

Unfortunately, that is currently not the case. Indeed, lung cancer has one of the lowest five-year survival rates among leading cancers, largely because it is often not caught at an early stage, when it is more likely to be curable. Currently, only 21.5% of cases are diagnosed early, when survival rates are five times greater. 

What's more, only 4.2% of high-risk patients are currently screened, despite the fact that screening with low-dose CT scans has been recommended in these patients since 2013. In fact, if all currently eligible high-risk patients were screened, close to 48,000 lives could be saved. 

A number of other initiatives also seem to be working in the fight against lung cancer. These include radon testing and mitigation, healthy air protections, and reducing smoking rates.

For its part, tobacco use remains the leading risk factor for lung cancer, accounting for as many as 90% of cases. Secondhand smoke has also been shown to cause lung cancer, promoting the authors to stress the need for making homes, workplaces, and public spaces smoke-free zones. 

Interestingly, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer and the leading cause among non-smokers. Finally, exposure to year-round particle pollution has also been shown to cause lung cancer. 

“No one should lose their life to lung cancer because they weren’t aware they qualified for screening or couldn’t access treatment options,” Mr. Wimmer concluded. “All states must make addressing lung cancer an urgent public health priority, and this new report offers solutions and opportunities for states to address the toll of lung cancer.”