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Cancer Awareness

Lung Cancer Awareness

More people die of lung cancer each year than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. Lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer death in the United States.

We offer these tools to help you gain lung self-awareness:

If you are a former or current smoker, you are at risk to develop lung cancer and we encourage you to talk to your physician about your lung health.

236,740 new cases will be diagnosed in 2022. That's 12% of all cancer diagnoses.

Fortunately, lung cancer is one of the easiest cancers to prevent, because most cases are caused by smoking. Other risk factors can include:

  • Age: The average age of diagnosis is 70 years of age.
  • Gender: Men are more likely to develop lung cancer than women.
  • Race: African American men are more likely to develop lung cancer.
  • Secondhand smoke exposure
  • Exposure: Arsenic, asbestos, radon, radiation or radioactive dust

130,180 people will die of lung cancer in 2022 that's 21% of all cancer deaths.

The University of Kansas Health System offers an advanced way to detect lung cancer in those most at risk to develop the disease. A low-dose CT scan can help current or former smokers who have no symptoms of lung cancer learn more about their lung health.

To qualify for the screening, you must meet the high-risk criteria recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network:

  • Aged 55-77 years old
  • Currently a smoker or have quit within the past 15 years
  • Smoked at least a pack of cigarettes a day for more than 30 years

To find out if you qualify, call 913-588-1227 or 844-323-1227.

Lung cancer research

The University of Kansas Cancer Center seeks to accelerate cancer prevention, discovery and care to save and improve lives with leading-edge, interdisciplinary cancer research. Learn more about some of our latest cancer research.

Taking control

As a nonsmoker, Christy Fischer has battled stage 4 lung cancer not once but 3 times – refusing to let cancer steal her identity.
Christy's story

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