About Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, taking more lives than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined. And yet, it receives the least amount of funding per death. Stigma and misunderstanding have been barriers to addressing this critical challenge.
What is Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer begins when abnormal cells grow in the lungs. In its earliest stages, it often causes no noticeable symptoms, which is why many people are diagnosed only after the disease has grown or spread.
There are several types of lung cancer, and the disease can develop differently from person to person. But a universal reality is that the earlier lung cancer is found, the more options people typically have for treatment—leading to drastically improved survival rates.
Understanding how lung cancer develops, and why it so often goes undetected at early stages, is essential to changing when it is found and what comes next.
1 in 4
cases of lung cancer are diagnosed early, when it is most treatable.
Early-stage detection dramatically improves outcomes, but most cases are still found too late. This is starting to change, and our work aims to improve and expand early detection faster.
Every 2 minutes
someone is diagnosed with lung cancer.
Lung cancer accounts for roughly one in eight cancers worldwide, making it the most frequently diagnosed cancer globally.
Myth
“If you don’t smoke, you can’t get lung cancer.”
Between 10-20% of lung cancer cases occur in people who never smoked. Family history, radon exposure, and air pollution also play significant roles. We're pushing to expand screening to reach all at-risk individuals.
Myth
“Lung cancer doesn’t run in families.”
Family history and genetics can play a role in lung cancer risk. In the general population, individuals with a first-degree relative with lung cancer have 1.5x the risk of developing lung cancer. Research suggests that inherited gene changes may influence who develops the disease and how it behaves—an area of growing scientific study, and a major focus for our foundation.
Myth
“If you feel healthy, screening isn’t necessary.”
Lung cancer often causes no symptoms in its early stages. By the time signs appear, the disease may already have spread, even to areas outside of the lungs—making early detection and appropriate screening especially important.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lung Cancer
Persistent cough, chest pain, and wheezing are examples of symptoms of lung cancer. However, many people experience no symptoms, especially in the early stages of lung cancer, which is why screening is so important. See a list of symptoms here.
Risk has traditionally been associated with exposure to tobacco smoke, but lung cancer affects people with a wide range of backgrounds and risk factors. Age, genetics, environmental exposures like radon gas and air pollution, and other factors may also play a role—and research is still evolving.
Yes—10–20% of lung cancer cases each year are attributed to people who either have never smoked or have smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime.
Lung cancer in people with no smoking history is the 5th most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and the proportion of lung cancer occurring in individuals who have never smoked may be increasing.
Yes—lung cancer is most treatable when it is caught early. In recent years, biomarker testing and targeted therapies have also increased overall survival rates.
Lung cancer can be life-threatening, but outcomes vary widely. When it is found early, lung cancer is often treatable and survivable. Unfortunately, many cases are diagnosed only after the disease has advanced, when outcomes are much worse.
We’re working to expand early detection of lung cancer. Learn how you can support this work.
Make a difference in lung cancer research.
Support us in advancing lung cancer detection, treatment, and prevention.
