Three Important Actions to Take for World Lung Cancer Day

Lung cancer is the nation's leading cause of cancer deaths and most cases are not diagnosed until later stages, when the disease is less curable. Today, on World Lung Cancer Day, the American Lung Association's LUNG FORCE initiative is urging everyone to learn about risk factors for the disease and highlighting the importance of early detection through lung cancer screening.

In support of LUNG FORCE's efforts to defeat lung cancer, you can take the following important actions on World Lung Cancer Day:

1. Review the risk factors for lung cancer: It’s important to remember that anyone can get lung cancer. The best way to reduce your risk for the disease is to take steps to avoid exposure to the dangerous substances most likely to cause it. Risk factors for lung cancer include smoking, exposure to radon gas, air pollution and secondhand smoke.


2. Learn about lung cancer screening: A new screening, a low-dose CT scan, is now recommended for individuals at high risk for lung cancer and has the potential to dramatically improve lung cancer survival rates. A person is considered high risk if they are between 55–80 years old, have a 30 pack-year history of smoking (this means 1 pack a day for 30 years, 2 packs a day for 15 years, etc.), and are a current smoker or have quit within the last 15 years. If the estimated 8 million Americans at high risk for lung cancer were to be screened, about 25,000 lives could be saved.
   
   To learn more, the American Lung Association offers a lung cancer screening eligibility quiz and encourages those concerned about their risk to speak with their doctor.


3. "Meet The Scan" and share the message: Today, the American Lung Association and The Ad Council launched an animated video series on Facebook to educate about the lifesaving, heroic potential of screening. Visit Facebook.com/LUNGFORCE to view the videos and share with your social media network or anyone who could benefit from the lung cancer screening message.

To raise awareness about lung cancer screening and encourage those who might be eligible to speak with their doctor, the Ad Council and the American Lung Association created the first-of-its-kind public awareness campaign – "Saved By The Scan," which debuted on August 1, 2017.

"In the first year of the 'Saved By The Scan' campaign, in partnership with the Ad Council, we have shared the potentially lifesaving message about the importance of screening with millions of Americans," said American Lung Association National President and CEO Harold P. Wimmer. "On World Lung Cancer Day, we urge Americans to learn about their risk for lung cancer and stand united with us against this terrible disease."

Since the launch of "Saved By The Scan," 134,000 Americans have taken the lung cancer screening eligibility quiz and more than 48,000 of those who completed the quiz met the criteria for screening and were encouraged to speak to their doctor.

For more information on the American Lung Association's LUNG FORCE initiative or the "Saved By The Scan" campaign, visit LUNGFORCE.org. For media wishing to schedule an interview with a lung cancer or screening expert, contact Allison MacMunn at [email protected] or 312-801-7628.