CHESTPress ReleasesWorld Lung Cancer Day 2023

World Lung Cancer Day 2023

GLENVIEW, IL - In support of World Lung Cancer Day on August 1, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), of which the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) is a founding member, stresses the importance of awareness and understanding of lung cancer risk factors, as well as the importance of early detection through screening and treatment.

According to the World Health Organization, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide for both men and women. In 2020, there were 2.21 million new lung cancer cases globally and 1.80 million deaths.

While smoking is the single greatest risk factor for lung cancer, accounting for 85% of all cases, other lesser-known risk factors include the environmental exposures and genetics. Environmental exposure to radon, asbestos, arsenic, beryllium and uranium has been linked to lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer also increases with a history of cancer in another part of the body, age, family history, radiation to the chest area and lung diseases like COPD.

“World Lung Cancer Day offers an opportunity to raise awareness for the staggering global impact of this cancer,” says Doreen Addrizzo-Harris, MD, FCCP, President of CHEST. “With one in four cancer deaths attributed to lung cancer, it is of critical importance to promote early detection through symptom awareness and lung cancer screening. Through early detection, treatment can begin, the cancer is less likely to spread and we can begin to reduce the number of lung cancer deaths worldwide.”

If you currently smoke or have a history of smoking and are 50 years or older, you may be a candidate for a screening low-dose CT scan that can potentially detect lung cancer in its earliest stages.

Lung cancer symptoms include change in mucus, chest or back pain, coughing up blood and difficulty swallowing. Tests that may be used to diagnose lung cancer include chest radiographs, CT and PET scans, bronchoscopy and needle biopsies.

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About the American College of Chest Physicians
The American College of Chest Physicians® (CHEST) is the global leader in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chest diseases. Its mission is to champion advanced clinical practice, education, communication and research in chest medicine. It serves as an essential connection to clinical knowledge and resources for its 19,000+ members from around the world who provide patient care in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. For information about the American College of Chest Physicians, and its flagship journal CHEST®, visit chestnet.org.

About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies
The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is an organisation comprised of the world's leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally. The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 70,000 members globally.

FIRS comprises the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociación Latinoamericana de Tórax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS), the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).

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