CNN
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Over the past five years, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer in the United States has increased by a significant 22 percent, according to a new report from the American Lung Association. But experts say not enough people are getting tested for lung cancer.
Approximately 26.6% of people with lung cancer will survive Five years after the initial diagnosis, Tuesday’s report said: Survival rates for people of color have also increased by 17% over the past two years, but there remain significant racial disparities in treatment, diagnosis and survival, the report said.
Black and Latino people with lung cancer are less likely than white patients to survive five years from initial diagnosis. compared to white patients, Latinos are 30% more likely to not receive treatment. They were 9% less likely to survive, and black people were 19% less likely to receive surgical treatment and 16% less likely to survive.
Although Asians and Pacific Islanders were 17% less likely to be diagnosed early than whites, they were 17% more likely to receive surgical treatment and 14% more likely to survive five years.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. Recent advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy have made more personalized treatments available.According to experts, this may happen It’s a simple tool that can save more lives. More people need to get tested.
Screening can reduce mortality from lung cancer by up to 20%, according to a new report.
As with other cancers, finding lung cancer early increases your chances of survival. Other research Lung cancer has been shown to have a 5-year survival rate of almost 60% if diagnosed early, but drops to 7% if detected late.Lung cancer patients often don’t get screened, so screening can save lives have symptoms Until the cancer is so advanced that there are few treatment options.
early lung cancer symptoms These include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and vague chest discomfort. Some people may also have a hoarse voice, vomit blood, lose the taste of food, or experience unexpected weight loss.
According to the report, only about 4.5% of people at high risk for lung cancer are tested for the disease. But in some states, that number is much lower. For example, in California, only 0.7% of people at high risk for lung cancer are tested, but this may be an underestimate.
“There’s still a lot of room for improvement,” said Dr. Panagis Galiasatos, a volunteer medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association. “We are hopeful that with updated guidelines, more of the population that needs testing will get tested.”
The American Cancer Society recently expanded its screening recommendations to ensure that people between the ages of 50 and 80, whether they currently smoke, have smoked in the past, or no matter how long ago they of people need to be tested for lung cancer. 20 packs a year. A pack year is defined as the average of one pack of cigarettes he smokes per day during a year.
Galiasatos, who is also the director of a tobacco treatment clinic and an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University, said he is optimistic that testing rates will improve. Unlike cervical and prostate cancers, where there are decades of data showing the effectiveness of screening; It’s only in the last decade that doctors have started encouraging people to get tested for lung cancer.
Guidelines for lung cancer are also confusing, he says. Until the new changes, people had to remember how long and how much they smoked to get tested for lung cancer. In comparison, doctors typically only recommend mammograms to screen for breast cancer if you’re 45 or older. No other factors need to be calculated to qualify for the test.
A new report says lung cancer screening at current rates would add 80,000 years to people in the United States and save the U.S. economy $40 million. If everyone who is eligible was tested, life expectancy would be increased by 500,000 years and the country would save $500 million.
Getting tested for lung cancer is relatively easy, Galiatsatos said. Unlike tests like colonoscopies, which require inconvenient and uncomfortable preparation, lung cancer screening requires only a low-dose CT scan.
The best way to prevent cancer is to stop using tobacco, and 80% to 90% of lung cancer cases are caused by tobacco, the report said. Say. Even those who have had it for a long time, Smoking history If you are a former smoker, you may be able to reduce your risk.
Galiatsatos said doctors also need to make sure they identify high-risk patients. People feel that their doctor’s office is a safe place to get tested and access smoking cessation programs.
“We’re not doing our best in terms of promoting things that help them in a way that doesn’t make them feel stigmatized or judged,” he said. “Lung cancer patients are often told, ‘You did this to me,’ and that’s really unfair to them.”
According to the CDC, the second most common cause of lung cancer is exposure to radon, a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that is naturally released from soil, water, and rocks. Gases can enter through cracks in buildings and accumulate in the air over time. Over time, these radioactive particles can become trapped in the lungs and cause cancer.
Radon tests are available at many hardware stores. If the test shows a high level, Recommended by CDC While you can install a radon reduction system, you can also increase airflow inside your home by keeping windows open, using fans to circulate air, and sealing cracks in floors and walls. .
Year-round exposure to particle pollution can also cause lung cancer. A previous report from the American Lung Association found that 120 million people live in parts of the United States with high levels of this dangerous level of pollution.to reduce exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency It is recommended Use high-efficiency portable air purifiers and exhaust fans that vent outdoors when cooking.