Survey shows most Americans aren’t concerned about lung cancer — even though it’s the leading cause of cancer deaths
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Scott LaMar
Airdate: August 2, 2022
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Pennsylvania and the nation.
It’s estimated more than 11,000 Pennsylvanians will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022 and almost 6,000 will die of the disease.
However, a new nationwide survey finds that only 40% of Americans are concerned they may get lung cancer and even fewer have talked to their doctor about their risk for the disease.
Deborah Brown, the Chief Mission Officer at the American Lung Association appeared on Friday’s The Spark and said, “Twenty-nine percent of Americans don’t know that lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of men and women in the United States. And we know that sometimes, unfortunately, this disease often lacks some of the resources and support and public empathy afforded to other diseases. So, we also think the gap is is likely attributable to the strong, pervasive, pervasive stigma associated with lung cancer.
Brown added that stigma exist because many believe lung cancer is a disease that a person brought on themselves through smoking or other choices.
Brown said more people are eligible to be screened for lung cancer, “Over the past year, there was an order to help raise awareness around lung cancer cancer screening. The U.S. Preventative Service Task Force expanded the guidelines for people who are recommended to be screened. And those are individuals 50 to 80 years of age who have a 20 pack smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. And what that did is that nearly doubled the number of individuals eligible for screening.”
