Lung Cancer Advancements Have Lowered The Cancer Mortality Rate

Although I typically focus these entries on issues within public health, today I thought that I would focus on an exciting statistic that was just published yesterday, September 22nd, at the CDC. Based on a nationwide report, the “progress against lung cancer” has allowed the overall mortality rate of cancer patients to decrease! Lung cancer is the second most common cancer contracted in America; however, it is unfortunately the cancer with the highest mortality rate (20% of all cancer deaths are attributed to lung cancer). 80% of the time, people get diagnosed with lung cancer from smoking; however, other factors contributing to lung cancer include exposure to radon gas, asbestos, secondhand smoke, air pollution, radiation, and more. Usually, lung cancer symptoms consist of: blood when you cough or spit, a continuous cough or respiratory infection, trouble breathing, wheezing, aches around your chest, and exhaustion.  That being said, as I mentioned previously, there has been a decrease in lung cancer deaths; this is primarily attributed to improvements in lung cancer detection at earlier stages as well as an increased number of people quitting smoking or not beginning at all. In fact, as of 2022, only 3.8% of youth and 11.6% of adults in America are smoking cigarettes at all. Although we still have a ways to go to reduce the number of annual deaths from lung cancer, America is definitely working in the right direction towards achieving this goal. 

Works Cited

"Annual Report to the Nation: Progress Against Lung Cancer Drives Down Cancer Mortality." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 Sept. 2026, www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2026/annual-report-to-the-nation-progress-against-lung-cancer-drives-down-cancer-mortality.html. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

"Key Statistics for Lung Cancer." American Cancer Association, www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

"Overall Smoking Trends." American Lung Association, www.lung.org/research/trends-in-lung-disease/tobacco-trends-brief/overall-smoking-trends. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

"Symptoms + Risk." Lung Cancer Research Foundation, www.lungcancerresearchfoundation.org/for-patients/lung-cancer-facts/. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.