Press Release
This Sunday, August 1st is World Lung Cancer Day, and the American Lung Association in South Carolina is urging everyone to learn more about the disease, educate themselves on lung cancer screening, and get involved in a local event to help end lung cancer.
While lung cancer remains the #1 cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., the survival rate has increased by a dramatic 13% over the past 5 years and awareness of this deadly disease has steadily increased. This encouraging trend will be further aided by improved early detection of the disease through lung cancer screening.
In support of the Lung Association's efforts to defeat lung cancer, you can take the following important actions on World Lung Cancer Day:
- Review the New Lung Cancer Trends Brief: New this year, the Lung Association released this data on lung cancer mortality, incidence, prevalence and other key measures of the burden of this disease. The detailed report presents descriptions, figures and links to more detailed tables on trends, as well as current patterns of the lung cancer burden. Data from the report indicates that racial disparities for lung cancer remain high and show that lung cancer incidence rates between 2013 and 2017 were highest among Black men. View the Lung Cancer Trends Brief here.
- Learn about lung cancer 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 50–80 years old, have a 20 pack-year history of smoking (this means 1 pack a day for 20 years, 2 packs a day for 10 years, etc.) and are a current smoker or have quit within the last 15 years. 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.
- Sign Up for a Local Event: The American Lung Association in South Carolina's LUNG FORCE Run/Walk will take place on Folly Beach Saturday, October 30. Participants of the event will run or walk a 5K on the beach to help raise awareness and funds to end lung cancer and lung disease, as well as support the organization's COVID-19 Action Initiative. Registration for the Charleston LUNG FORCE Run/Walk is $30 for adults and $20 for children. For more information and to register, visit LUNGFORCE.org/Charleston.
To learn more, visit LUNGFORCE.org. To contact a South Carolina staff member, email alasc@lung.org.
