{"id":627175,"date":"2024-03-08T17:04:21","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T22:04:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=627175"},"modified":"2026-03-27T13:27:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T17:27:37","slug":"lung-cancer-statistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/news\/lung-cancer-statistics\/","title":{"rendered":"Lung cancer statistics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our lungs do a lot. They help us talk, exercise, meditate, cheer on our favorite team, tell that one joke that always gets mixed results, and do almost everything. And, even though we often take breathing for granted, lung cancer can make it pretty hard to forget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s one of the most prevalent cancers in the world, especially among older adults. But despite its well-earned reputation as a worrisome disease, its mortality rate is on the decline in the U.S. That\u2019s thanks in part to a decrease in cigarette smoking and in part to effective screening and new treatments. Here are all of the important lung cancer facts you need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is lung cancer?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cancer starts<\/span><\/a> with a single rogue cell. When that cell mutates, it may grow and divide faster than normal, forming tumors. Uninhibited, these cells will eventually spread to surrounding tissues. Cancer can affect any part of the body\u2014skin, bones, blood, organs, you name it. With lung cancer, this mutation occurs around the bronchus, bronchioles, alveoli, or other lung tissues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many people consider it to be a smoker\u2019s disease, and for good reason. \u201cSmokers are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer than those who do not,\u201d says <\/span>Dr. Chevon Rariy, MD<\/span><\/a>, Chief Health Officer of <\/span>Oncology Care Partners<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time, \u201cLung cancer is very heterogeneous and is being seen in younger individuals that are non-smokers. It can affect lots of different people of different health statuses,\u201d says <\/span>Dr. Jack Jacoub, MD<\/span><\/a>, Medical Director of the MemorialCare Cancer Institute at the Orange Coast and Saddleback Medical Centers. \u201cSo, it\u2019s a lung disease we must all consider.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The most common type of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and it includes adenocarcinomas, squamous cell cancer, and large cell carcinomas. NSCLC spreads more slowly than other lung cancers, but it is still important to catch it early. By comparison, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is faster-growing and more aggressive, but it\u2019s also less common. Both types of lung cancer can be difficult to distinguish from upper respiratory infections and chronic lung conditions in their early stages since they have similar symptoms, such as coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing, and fatigue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How common is lung cancer?<\/span><\/h2>\n