Lung Cancer Survival Rates Reach Historic High, But Racial Disparities Persist

Screening Rates Remain Low Despite Potential to Reduce Death Rate by 20%

Lung cancer survival rates in the US have risen by 5 percentage points in the last five years, reaching 26.6%, the highest ever recorded.
Despite the overall increase, racial disparities persist, with Black and Latino patients less likely to survive compared to their white counterparts.
States vary significantly in survival rates, new case rates, and screening rates, with Rhode Island having the highest survival rate and Oklahoma the lowest.
Screening for lung cancer, which can reduce the death rate by up to 20%, remains low, with only 4.5% of high-risk individuals getting screened.
The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 238,340 new cases of lung cancer nationwide by the end of 2023, and 127,070 people are expected to die from the disease this year.