Every three minutes in the U.S., someone dies of lung cancer.
Today, like every day, 437people will be diagnosed with lung cancer.
In the next week alone, 3,059 families will receive this devastating news.
By this time next year, almost 160,000 people will face the deadliest of all cancers—one that kills more than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney and melanoma cancers combined.
Over 60% of new cases are never smokers or former smokers, many of whom quit decades ago.
Nearly 80% of people with lung cancer die within one year of their diagnosis. Because there are so few survivors lung cancer has become an "invisible" disease that no one likes to talk about. This silence has led to fewer research dollars, oncology specialists and public relations efforts dedicated to fighting lung cancer. And, it's the reason approximately 85% of people diagnosed with lung cancer do not survive. Other vital facts:
Annually, lung cancer kills more men than prostate cancer and more women than breast, ovarian and uterine cancers combined.
Estimated 2009 deaths from lung cancer: 152,390 people, 23,905 of which have never smoked
Estimated 2009 deaths from prostate cancer: 27,360
Estimated 2009 deaths from breast cancer: 40,170
Since 1964, when the Surgeon General released the first U.S. report on smoking and health, more than two million American smokers have died from smoking-related lung cancer.