Lung Cancer Among Women in the United States

J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2018 Nov;27(11):1307-1316. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2018.7397. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Abstract

November marks Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and reminds us that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. In this brief report, we highlight CDC resources that can be used to examine the most recent data on lung cancer incidence, survival, prevalence, and mortality among women. Using the U.S. Cancer Statistics Data Visualizations tool, we report that in 2015, 104,992 new cases of lung cancer and 70,073 lung cancer deaths were reported among women in the United States. The 5-year relative survival among females diagnosed with lung cancer was 22%, and as of 2015, ∼185,759 women were living with a lung cancer diagnosis. We also describe ways CDC works to collect and disseminate quality cancer surveillance data, prevent initiation of tobacco use, promote cessation, eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke, identify and eliminate disparities, promote lung cancer screening, and help cancer survivors live longer by improving health outcomes.

Keywords: National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program; National Program of Cancer Registries; U.S. Cancer Statistics; cancer prevention; cancer survivorship; early detection; lung cancer; women's health.

MeSH terms

  • Age Distribution
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.
  • Early Detection of Cancer / methods
  • Female
  • Health Promotion* / methods
  • Health Promotion* / organization & administration
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Lung Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Lung Neoplasms* / epidemiology
  • Lung Neoplasms* / mortality
  • Mortality / trends
  • Prevalence
  • SEER Program / statistics & numerical data
  • Smoking Prevention / organization & administration*
  • Survival Analysis
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Women's Health*