It is anticipated that there will be about one quarter million new lung cancer cases and over 150,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States during 2007. For both men and women, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death.

WHO IS AT RISK?

Smokers - Tobacco use is the most important risk factor (cigarette, cigar, and pipe – none are safe).

Secondhand Tobacco Smoke - Even secondhand tobacco smoke has been shown scientifically to be a cause of lung cancer.

Other Environmental Causes of Lung Cancer - While of minor importance compared to tobacco smoke, environmental carcinogens such as asbestos, radon, tar and soot, arsenic, chromium, and nickel account for about 10% of lung cancers. In many cases, if exposure to one of these is combined with exposure to tobacco smoke, the cancer risk is higher than either exposure would by itself.

Air pollution - The most recent scientific studies appear to substantiate an increased risk of lung cancer as one's exposure to air pollution increases.

PREVENTION

Smoking Avoidance - One's risk of lung cancer is significantly reduced by never smoking.

Smoking Cessation - Stopping smoking for a prolonged period also reduces the risk of lung cancer.

Beta Carotene - Smoking and taking significant amounts of beta carotene at the same time is even worse than just smoking.

Radon Exposure - Increased risk of lung cancer.

Vitamin E/Tocopherol - No demonstrable effect on the risk of lung cancer.

Chemoprevention - While still in the experimental stages, work is being done to attempt prevention of lung cancer with suitable drugs and/or nutrients. Chemoprevention is mainly being pursued for reversal of premalignancy (e.g., those exposed to tobacco smoke or industrial carcinogens with demonstrated abnormalities of their lung cells, but without actual cancer), prevention of secondary tumors (during their lifetime, those cured of an initial lung cancer have a 20-30% chance of developing another lung cancer unrelated to the first one), and prevention of primary tumors in those with significant risk factors (e.g., smoking or asbestos exposure).

EARLY DETECTION

At the current time, the potential harm of screening for lung cancer with chest x-ray, sputum analysis, or CT scans appears to outweigh any benefits. As a result, given the efficacy of prevention, it is even more vital that one reduce one's controllable risk factors, primarily by never smoking or stopping as soon as possible.

TREATMENT

In the early stages, either surgery or radiation are the treatments of choice. Unfortunately, due to the lack of successful early detection techniques for lung cancer, initial diagnosis is too often made after the cancer has already progressed to a more advanced stage. Treatment at such stages is difficult and needs to be individualized to the particular patient, but may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and/or more exotic and experimental forms of treatment.