Posted on November 1, 2017
It’s time for us to get the facts out there. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, accounting for 8.8 million deaths in 2015, and is responsible for nearly one in six cancer deaths globally. This year, more than 200,000 men and women will be newly diagnosed with lung cancer in the United States.
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States. Last year, an estimated 158,000 Americans died of this preventable disease. In 2017, the American Cancer Society estimates that ~156,000 will die due to lung cancer. Each year, we take a designated pause in time during November for Lung Cancer Awareness Month to raise necessary awareness about lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Today, we’re used to talking about first-hand exposure to cigarettes. And we’re used to talking about second-hand exposure to cigarettes, too. But did you know there is such a thing as second-hand exposure to asbestos? In the United States, asbestos-caused lung cancer claims an estimated 10,000 lives every year.
Know the Difference Between Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is all too often misdiagnosed as a lung cancer. Mesothelioma is different than lung cancer. While mesothelioma often develops in the lining of the lung, abdomen or heart, lung cancer develops inside the lung itself. Remember: While mesothelioma and lung cancer may be two separate types of cancers, they both can occur as a result of exposure to asbestos.
Each year, the Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) helps organize Shine a Light on Lung Cancer events around the nation. Shine a Light on Lung Cancer events are hosted by healthcare facilities during the month of November as part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month activities. These events bring together those living with lung cancer, their families and the healthcare teams at hospitals across the country.
Help us Shine a Light on Lung Cancer by joining an event in your area, or even hosting a Shine a Light event yourself!
Remember, join ADAO and Less Cancer for a Lung Cancer Awareness Month Twitter Chat November 13 too!
Together, change is possible.
Linda Reinstein