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Battle Against Leading Cancer Killer of Elderly Gets
Failing Grades from Lung Cancer Alliance
Jan. 19, 2006 A new report card on the progress
being made in the battle against America's most lethal cancer lung
cancer shows failing grades in almost every category. Lung cancer,
which primarily occurs in senior citizens, is the number one cancer
killer, resulting in 30 percent of all cancer deaths and killing more
people annually than breast, prostate, colon, liver, and kidney cancers
-- combined.
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Health & Medicine |
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The Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), the only national
non-profit organization dedicated solely to advocating for people living
with lung cancer or those at risk for the disease, today issued this
first Report Card on Lung Cancer, an assessment of progress being made
in the battle against this lethal disease.
"Lung cancer is the most lethal of all major
cancers," said Laurie Fenton, President of The Lung Cancer Alliance.
"This Report Card on Lung Cancer will put public health leaders and the
American public on notice that it is time to change this."
The Report Card on Lung Cancer will evaluate
progress utilizing key benchmarks annually in the battle to eradicate
this disease.
"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death
in men and women," said Paul A. Bunn, Jr., MD, Professor of Medicine and
Director of the University of the Colorado Cancer Center (UCCC); former
President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO); Member,
Board of Directors, The Lung Cancer Alliance. "We have made insufficient
progress in this dreaded disease in part due to a lack of resources.
Hopefully, it will encourage our public health leaders to come together
to develop an overall plan with a sense of urgency to increase lung
cancer's survivorship."
The Report Card on Lung Cancer graded seven
categories:
● Number of Deaths -- Lung cancer is the number
one cancer killer, killing three times as many men as prostate cancer,
nearly twice as many women as breast cancer and more than twice as many
men and women as colorectal cancer. The death rate is so high that an
estimated 172,570 people were diagnosed in 2005 and approximately
163,510 died. GRADE: F
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Facts About Lung Cancer |
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Lung cancer
mainly occurs in the elderly. During 2005, there were expected
to be about 172,570 new cases of lung cancer (93,010 among men
and 79,560 among women), according to the American Cancer
Society. Lung cancer will account for about 13% of all new
cancers. The average age of people diagnosed with lung cancer is
70; fewer than 3% of all cases are found in people under the age
of 45. The chance that a man will develop lung cancer is 1 in 13
and for a woman, it is 1 in 18. Of course this figure includes
all people and doesnt take into account whether or not they
smoke.
Lung cancer
is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women.
There will be an estimated 163,510 deaths from lung cancer
(90,490 among men and 73,020 among women) in 2005, accounting
for around 28% of all cancer deaths. More people die of lung
cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. In
spite of the large number of people diagnosed with this cancer,
there are only about 330,000 long-term survivors. |
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● Five-Year-Survival-Rate -- Only 15% of those
diagnosed live longer than five years. There has been virtually no
improvement since President Nixon and Congress declared "War on Cancer"
in 1971. By comparison, breast cancer's rive-year-survival rate is now
88% and prostate cancer's is 99%. GRADE: F
● Number of Late-Stage Diagnoses -- Seventy
percent of diagnoses are late-stage. Late stage diagnosis is lethal
diagnosis. GRADE: F
● Newly-Addicted Youth Smokers -- About 2,000 new
"daily" smokers under the age of 18 become addicted each day, more than
700,000 a year. GRADE: F
● Number of New Treatment and Diagnostic Options
in the last 30 Years -- Slight progress has been made only within the
last few years. Significantly more work must be done. GRADE: D
● Federally-Supported Early Detection Program --
The federal government does not support early screening for lung cancer,
while it does for other major cancer with comparable public health
service ratings. GRADE: F
● Overall Federal Commitment - Lacks overall plan
and a sense of urgency. Lung cancer is under-funded and
under-researched. Only $1,829 spent per lung cancer death, compared to
$23,474 per estimated breast cancer death and $14,369 per estimated
prostate cancer death. GRADE: F
"It is not a surprise that The Lung Cancer Alliance
would give their Newly-Addicted Youth Smokers category a failing grade,"
said Cheryl G. Healton, Dr. P.H., President and Chief Executive Officer
of the American Legacy Foundation and a Member, Board of Directors, The
Lung Cancer Alliance.
"Now is the time to redouble youth smoking
prevention efforts."
The Report Card on Lung Cancer will be widely
distributed among public policy leaders, medical professionals and
health care associations working to improve outcomes for lung cancer
patients.
"Because we represent patients, caregivers and
those at risk for this disease, it's clear we have much work to do,"
said Ms. Fenton. "We have rolled up our sleeves and look forward to
working with all those committed to improving these outcomes when the
Report Card on Lung Cancer is released next year."
For more information on lung cancer, the support
services of The Lung Cancer Alliance or to view the complete Report Card
on Lung Cancer, visit
http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/.
Links
What is lung cancer by American Cancer Society
How Is Lung Cancer Diagnosed? - American Cancer Society
What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Lung Cancer? - American Cancer
Society
What's New in Lung Cancer Research and Treatment? (11/12/2004, American
Cancer Society)
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