How Do You BEAT Lung Cancer?
It starts with biomarker education, awareness and testing. Learn how early diagnosis, biomarker testing and targeted treatment can save lives.Every two and a half minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with lung cancer. While lung cancer remains as the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., we have seen incredible progress in the survival rate thanks in part to biomarker testing and targeted treatments.
Unfortunately, not enough people are getting biomarker testing, especially within historically underrepresented communities. Biomarker testing early in a patient’s lung cancer journey may enable individuals to take advantage of potential treatment options that may improve their quality of life and their chances to beat lung cancer.
Health disparities persist when it comes to lung cancer care and biomarker testing.
A recent study in the Journal of the National Medical Association found that when looking at metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, 26% of eligible white patients received biomarker testing compared to 14% of eligible Black patients. In addition, lung cancer affects Black individuals, particularly Black men, differently than their white counterparts. Black men are 11% more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer and 9.8% more Black men die from the disease. There is a need to increase biomarker testing rates in communities most impacted by lung cancer disparities. It's important to prepare the right questions to ask your doctor from the beginning and to stay involved throughout your treatment plan.
Screening and Early Detection Is Key
Diagnosing lung cancer begins at the time of detection through lung cancer screening. Most commonly, doctors suspect somebody might have lung cancer when they see something on an imaging test such as a CT scan that looks like it could be a tumor.
Using a low-dose CT (LDCT), an X-ray machine which takes multiple pictures of your lungs, lung cancer can be detected before any symptoms appear and may be easier to treat.
If you meet the following criteria, you are considered to be at "high risk" for developing lung cancer and screening is recommended:
- 50-80 years of age (50-77 years of age for Medicare)
- Have a 20 pack-year history of smoking (this means 1 pack a day for 20 years, 2 packs a day for 10 years, etc.)
- AND, currently smoke, or have quit within the last 15 years
Contact a Lung Health Navigator
Call the Lung Cancer HelpLine if you have questions or are interested in learning more about biomarker testing or lung cancer screening.
Page last updated: July 11, 2024
