Detecting Lung Cancer Blog

Despite getting less attention and less funding than other forms of cancer, the fact remains: Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer in the United States.

In fact, a little known fact is that more women die of lung cancer each year than the combined cancer deaths of all female related cancers combined. That results in more deaths than breast, ovarian and cervical cancers combined.

As we’ve mentioned in past posts, detecting lung cancer as early as possible is the key to increasing the 5-year survival rate. If the disease found in early stages, the lung cancer survival rate more than triples from 15% to more than 50%.

As reported by Mayo Clinic, “lung cancer typically doesn’t cause signs and symptoms in its earliest stages. Signs and symptoms of lung cancer typically occur only when the disease is advanced.”

So, how does one find lung cancer early, before symptoms appear?

The thought of yourself or a loved one contracting lung cancer is a frightening scenario. Why? Because the 5-year survival rate is only 16%, meaning less than 1 in 6 people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years.

In fact, 50% of those diagnosed with lung cancer perish in the 1^st year. Though other cancers have shown marked improvement over the last few years, the statistics for lung cancer have remained virtually unchanged since 1970.

There is reason for hope, though—If the lung cancer is found in its earliest stages, the 5-year survival rate more than triples. It’s not enough, but it is a sizeable improvement over the current 1 in 6 survival rate.

So, this begs the question: How do you find lung cancer early?

Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the US, killing more people each year than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney and melanoma cancers combined.

Given the enormity of this deadly disease, it is important that we gain as much information as possible on lung cancer—knowledge is power.

There are three important areas where we are trying to raise awareness on lung cancer:

We’ve stated many times that lung cancer is the number one cancer killer. This includes men, women and all ethnic groups.

There is hope, however. According to this recent CBS News article, between 2006 and 2008, new, confirmed lung cancer cases fell among men in 35 states, but it only fell in 6 states for women.

So, how do those rates look today?

Oncimmune® USA, LLC just made an exciting announcement about early lung cancer detection—the blood test for early lung cancer detection, EarlyCDT-Lung, is now available in all 50 states, including New York.

New York has its own laboratory certification process which can take upwards of one year to complete. As of August 31, 2011, Oncimmune received approval from New York’s Department of Health to receive samples from New York State, making EarlyCDT-Lung available in all 50 states!

While it is important to remember that tobacco usage, particularly when talking about current and former smokers, represents the vast majority of lung cancer cases, it is also important to be aware of other lung cancer risk factors. These include a family history of lung cancer, extensive exposure to secondhand smoke and exposure to chemicals and substances such as radon, asbestos, coal products, arsenic, vinyl chloride and other carcinogens.

Most people know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every October, with the regularity of the changing leaves, the country turns pink—politicians and celebrities wear pink ribbon pins, fountains flow with pink water and pink sweat suits fill the streets for walkathons.

But who has heard of Lung Cancer Awareness Month?

It does exist. In fact, it directly follows Breast Cancer Awareness month, taking place in November.

In past posts, we’ve discussed the importance of raising lung cancer awareness and fighting against the lung cancer bias.

As reported in the Pittsburg Post Gazette, lung cancer got $1,414 in research funding per death, compared with $23,754 per death for breast cancer and $11,959 per death for prostate cancer. When you consider that lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the United States for men, women and all ethnic groups, that number seems shockingly low.

In a recent Huffington Post article, author Rob Densen touches on this discrepancy, as well as sharing a personal story about how lung cancer has touched his life. We’d like to share just a piece of that article with you—to read the full article, please click here.