11 Facts About Lung Cancer

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1. Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of both men and women in America.^["Lung Cancer Fact Sheet - American Lung Association." American Lung Association. http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/lung-cancer/resources/facts-figures/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html (accessed July 21, 2014).]
2. Cancer of the lungs takes more lives every year than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined. Create and share homemade cards encouraging a smoker in your life to quit. Sign up for Quitters Always Win^["Lung Cancer Fact Sheet - American Lung Association." American Lung Association. http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/lung-cancer/resources/facts-figures/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html (accessed July 21, 2014).]
3. Nearly 400,000 people in the US are living with lung cancer.^["Lung Cancer Fact Sheet - American Lung Association." American Lung Association. http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/lung-cancer/resources/facts-figures/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html (accessed July 21, 2014).]
4. 81% of those living with lung cancer are over the age 60. The disease ails the elderly the most severely.^["Radiology Associates." Radiology Associates. http://www.radassociates.com/NewsAndEvents.aspx (accessed July 22, 2014).]
5. The survival rate of lung cancer (17%) is drastically lower than breast cancer, with a survival rate of 90% and prostate with nearly 100%.^["Lung Cancer Fact Sheet - American Lung Association." American Lung Association. http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/lung-cancer/resources/facts-figures/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html (accessed July 21, 2014).]
6. Only 15% of lung cancers are caught at an early stage. When it has spread to other organs, the survival rate drops to 3.5%.^["Lung Cancer Fact Sheet - American Lung Association." American Lung Association. http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/lung-cancer/resources/facts-figures/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html (accessed July 21, 2014).]
7. More than half of those with lung cancer pass away within a year of diagnosis.^["Lung Cancer Fact Sheet - American Lung Association." American Lung Association. http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/lung-cancer/resources/facts-figures/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html (accessed July 21, 2014).]
8. Smoking is responsible for roughly 90% of all cases of lung cancer.^["Smoking - American Lung Association." American Lung Association. http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/about-smoking/health-effects/smoking.html (accessed July 19, 2014).]
9. Exposure to asbestos also puts one at risk for lung cancer. The combination of asbestos exposure and smoking seriously increases an individual's risk of developing it.^[Cancer and the Environment." National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understandingcancer/environment/AllPages (accessed July 20, 2014).]
10. African-Americans are the most prone to developing lung cancer of all ethnic and racial groups.^["African Americans and Cancer." African Americans and Cancer. http://www.fhcrc.org/en/events/cancer-in-our-communities/african-americans-and-cancer.html (accessed July 19, 2014).]
11. Though black women smoke fewer cigarettes than white women, their incidence rate of lung cancer is roughly equal.^["Lung Cancer Fact Sheet - American Lung Association." American Lung Association. http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/lung-cancer/resources/facts-figures/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html (accessed July 21, 2014).]