More Americans are surviving lung cancer, with a five-year survival rate of 21.7 percent in 2019, compared to 17.2 percent in 2009, according to a new report by the American Lung Association.
Lung cancer incidence, staging, surgical treatment and lack of treatment data was based on 2012-16 North American Association of Central Cancer Registries data. Survival rates were based on cases diagnosed 2009-15, reported by the NAACCR. Certain measures varied by state.
The report revealed a 26 percent increase in lung cancer survival rates over the past decade. The rate of new lung cancer cases decreased 19 percent since 2009, though the disease remains the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.
Only 21.5 percent of lung cancer cases are diagnosed early, the report found, when survival rates are five times higher. Since 2013, lung screening has been recommended for high-risk individuals, but only 4.2 percent of high-risk persons were screened in 2018.
Over 228,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, the report states. The rate of new cases and survival varies largely by state, with Utah reporting the nation's lowest lung cancer rates and Kentucky reporting the highest.