November 28, 2023- Lung cancer survival rates have increased over the last five years, and the survival rates among communities of color increased at a faster pace, according to the recently published State of Lung Cancer 2023 Report from the American Lung Association.
During Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Olympus Corp. of the Americas and the American Lung Association partnered to raise awareness around the importance of early detection and provide a better understanding of eligibility around lung cancer screening guidelines as lung cancer screening rates among high-risk patients remains below 5%.
The Lung Association reports:
- About 238,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed this year.
- The rate of new lung cancer cases decreased 8% over the last five years.
- The national average of people alive five years after a lung cancer diagnosis has risen to 26.6%, which represents a 22% increase over the same period.
- The survival rate among communities of color also increased at a faster rate, meaning it’s no longer significantly lower compared to white patients.
- Black, Latino, Asian or Pacific Islander individuals and Indigenous people still are less likely to be diagnosed early and more likely to receive no treatment.
Early detection is critical in the fight against lung cancer, with the 5-year relative survival rate for non-small cell lung cancer is about 65% when caught at a localized state.