World Lung Cancer Awareness Day
Save the date! August 1 marks World Lung Cancer Awareness Day.
This recognition began back in 2012 in order to raise awareness for lung cancer. More specifically, it focuses on the importance of preventing and developing new treatments for this devasting disease.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.
In fact, this disease claims more lives each year than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined. In the United States, 1 out of 16 people will receive a lung cancer diagnosis each year and more than 130,000 will lose their lives annually. Through a commitment to research, prevention, and early diagnosis, we can continue to see these numbers decline.
Lung cancer has been around for a long time, but it was first recognized in the early 19th century.
At first, this disease was considered to be pretty rare. That changed drastically by the end of the 20th century when it became the leading cause of male cancer deaths around the world.
Smoking was not linked to lung cancer until studies from the 1940s and 1950s showcased the detrimental effects of nicotine and tobacco on the human body. Since then, campaigns to prevent people from smoking have played an important role to influence the decline of lung cancer diagnoses.
Unfortunately, people who never smoke at all can still contract lung cancer.
While people can choose not to smoke, they may not have much say in the other aspects of their environment. Other causes include long-term exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution, radon, and asbestos. According to the CDC, nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke are 20-30% more likely to develop lung cancer. Additionally, secondhand smoke causes more than 7,300 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year.
ImageCare Radiology offers lung cancer screenings for early lung cancer detection.
If you have one or more risk factors for lung cancer—such as smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, radiation therapy, exposure to radon gas, exposure to asbestos, or a family history of lung cancer— your doctor may recommend annual screenings for lung cancer. Turn to our diagnostic imaging center in New Jersey for a smooth and comfortable experience.
You can also help to raise awareness for World Lung Cancer Day by sharing this blog on your social media!