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Global
CAREERS

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally.

Poor prognosis in lung cancer highlights a clear unmet need to increase new options for patients

The leading cause of cancer in men (14.5% of cancer diagnoses), and a leading cause of cancer in women (8.4% of cancer diagnoses),1 each year lung cancer is responsible for an estimated 2.09 million new cases diagnosed in both genders, and 1.76 million deaths globally.1,2 

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for 80-90% of all lung cancers.3

Global Cancer Statistics (2018)

Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence by Cancer Type
  New cases   Deaths  5-year prevalence (all ages) 
CancerNumberRank*(%)Cum.riskNumberRank(%)Cum.riskNumberProp.
Lung2 093 876111.62.751 761 007118.42.222 129 96427.91
Breast2 088 849211.65.03626 67946.61.416 875 099181.78
Colorectal1 849 5183
6.11.31880 792
2
5.80.544 789 635
62.80
Prostate1 276 10647.13.73358 98983.80.603 724 65896.73
Stomach1 033 70155.71.31782 6853
8.20.951 589 75220.83

Source: Globocan 2018
*Excluding non-melanoma skin cancer.

Key risk factors

Anyone can develop lung cancer, however around 85% of cases occur in people who smoke or who used to smoke. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) worldwide, tobacco use is the single greatest avoidable risk factor for cancer mortality. 4,5 

Other risk factors for lung cancer include6:

  • Second-hand smoke: if you don’t smoke, breathing in the smoke of others can increase your risk of lung cancer.
  • Exposure to radon: a naturally occurring gas from rocks and dirt. The gas can be trapped in houses and buildings and cannot be seen, tasted or smelled.
  • Asbestos and other substances: substances found at some workplaces including asbestos, arsenic, diesel exhaust and some forms of silica and chromium.
  • Taking certain dietary supplements: studies looking at the possible role of vitamin supplements in reducing lung cancer risk have shown that smokers who took beta carotene supplements actually had an increased risk of lung cancer.
  • Arsenic in drinking water: studies in people living in countries with high levels of arsenic in their drinking water including parts of South East Asia and South America have found a higher incidence of lung cancer.
  • Personal or family history of lung cancer: if you have been previously diagnosed with lung cancer, you have a higher risk of developing another lung cancer. Researchers have also found that genetics seems to play a role in families with a strong history of lung cancer.
  • Air pollution: in cities, air pollution (especially near heavily trafficked roads) appears to raise the risk of lung cancer slightly. This risk is far less than the risk caused by smoking, but some researchers estimate that worldwide about 5% of all deaths from lung cancer may be due to outdoor air pollution.
  • Previous radiation therapy to the lungs: people who have had radiation therapy to the chest for other cancers are at higher risk for lung cancer, particularly if they smoke.

Signs and symptoms

Most lung cancers do not cause symptoms until the cancer is at an advanced stage. Even if symptoms are present earlier, they can often be mistaken for other ailments such as infection or long-term effects of smoking.7

The most common symptoms of lung cancer are:

  • A new cough that doesn’t go away, or gets worse
  • Coughing up blood, even a small amount
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Hoarseness
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Bone pain
  • Headache

Diagnosis

Persistent symptoms and the results of certain tests, such as x-ray or computerized tomography scan (CT/CAT scan), may strongly suggest that a person has lung cancer, but the actual diagnosis is made by looking at lung cells under a microscope in the lab.

Usually, these cells are taken from a suspicious area using bronchoscopy (a procedure using a lens or video camera to look inside the lungs), a needle biopsy or surgery. In some circumstances a new and innovative approach called liquid biopsy may be available. This option holds promise in cancer—especially lung cancer where gaining access to tumor tissue can be a major challenge. The choice of which test(s) to use depends on the situation.

Treatment

The treatment of lung cancer varies greatly based on the stage of the disease, and the type of lung cancer a person is diagnosed with. A number of different treatment approaches are available including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or a combination of these treatments. All treatment options available based on diagnosis, stage of the cancer, and other considerations should be discussed in consultation with each individual patient’s healthcare team. 

Need for Further Research

Despite advances in the field of lung cancer, the prognosis for patients remains poor. There is a clear unmet medical need for early detection and innovative treatment options. To learn about current clinical trials in lung cancer, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov and search for ‘lung cancer.’

RELATED LINKS

References:

  1. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). GLOBOCAN 2018. Available at: http://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/15-Lung-fact-sheet.pdf. Last accessed March 2020.
  2. World Health Organization. Cancer Fact Sheet. Available from: https://www.who.int. Last accessed March 2020.
  3. ESMO Guidelines. Lung and Chest Tumours-Non-small cell lung cancer. Available at: https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/lung-and-chest-tumours/clinical-practice-living-guidelines-metastatic-non-small-cell-lung-cancer. Last accessed March 2020.
  4. British Lung Foundation. What is Lung Cancer? Available at: https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/lung-cancer/what-is-it. Last accessed March 2020.
  5. World Health Organization. Preventing Cancer. Available at: https://www.who.int/activities/preventing-cancer. Last accessed March 2020.
  6. American Cancer Society. Lung Cancer Risk Factors. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html. Last accessed March 2020.
  7. Mayo Clinic. Lung Cancer Symptoms. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lung-cancer/basics/symptoms/con-20025531. Last accessed March 2020.