Lung Cancer Screening & Diagnosis

Early diagnosis of lung cancer remains difficult because most patients do not exhibit symptoms until the disease has advanced. Early detection has been proven to save lives with other cancers, why should lung cancer be treated differently?

Stage of Diagnosis

• Only 16% of lung cancer patients are diagnosed at the earliest and most curable stages.
• The majority of lung cancer patients are diagnosed so late, they die within ONE YEAR.

Lung Cancer Survival Rates

The 5-year survival rate for lung cancer is very different than other cancers:

• 15% of lung cancer patients will be alive 5 years later
• 99% of prostate cancer patients will be alive 5 years later
• 88% of breast cancer patients will be alive 5 years later
• 63% of colorectal cancer patients will be alive 5 years later

CT Screening

In 2006, a landmark study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that with CT Screening, lung cancer can be detected at the earliest stage (Stage I) in 85% of patients and can lead to an estimated 10- year survival rate of 88%. The estimated 10- year survival rate goes to 92%, for those whose early detected cancers are removed immediately.

Many lung cancer advocates recommend that the following people consider having a baseline CT scan:

• Any smoker or former smoker over the age of 50
• Any adult with significant exposure to cigarettes and a first degree relative, who was diagnosed with lung cancer before the age of 50
• People regularly exposed to second-hand smoke, radon, asbestos or other known carcinogens