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.

• 229,410 new cases will be diagnosed in 2026. That's 11% of all cancer diagnoses.
• 124,990 people will die of lung cancer in 2026–that's 20% of all cancer deaths.

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

• Age, as the average age of diagnosis is 70
• Gender, as men are more likely to develop lung cancer than women
• Race, as African American men are 12% more likely to develop lung cancer than white men
• Secondhand smoke exposure
• Exposure to arsenic, asbestos, radon, radiation or radioactive dust

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.

Lung cancer screening

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:

• Group 1: Age 50 or older with at least a 20 pack-year smoking history (a pack-year is smoking 1 pack of cigarettes per day for a year, or the equivalent)
• Group 2: Age 50 or older with at least a 20 pack-year history plus 1 or more additional risk factors, including a family history of lung cancer, history of COPD, radon exposure or prior radiation treatment

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.