WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The American Lung Association's latest 'State of Lung Cancer' report noted that survival rate in people with lung cancer has improved by 26 percent in the past five years.
'More people with lung cancer are living longer, and that is something to celebrate. However, lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.,' warned Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association.
'This year's 'State of Lung Cancer' report provides a path for states and the federal government to take to improve the lives of people living with this devastating disease,' he explained.
'Increasing lung cancer screening rates and expanding biomarker testing are enormous opportunities to catch cancer earlier and provide the best treatments for people diagnosed with the disease.'
The organization said that tobacco use is responsible for 80 to 90 percent of lung cancer cases, followed by secondhand smoke, air pollution, and exposure to radioactive gas radon.
The key to survive the lung cancer is early diagnosis. However, nearly 43 percent of the cases are caught at a late stage, where the chance of survival is just 9 percent.
As per the annual report, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut reported the highest number of early-stage lung cancer diagnoses.
'There is more work to do, but I am incredibly optimistic about the future of lung cancer care,' Wimmer said, as the report predicted that roughly 235,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in the U.S. in 2024.
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