Decreasing Lung Cancer Mortality through Screening—The Lung Cancer Alliance Experience

Abstract

Corresponding Author: Jennifer C King, PhD, 1700 K Street NW, Ste 660, Washington, DC 20006, US. E: jking@lungcanceralliance.org Over the past several years, there has been a profound paradigm shift for those at high risk for lung cancer due to the development and release of scientific validation and national guidelines and recommendations for lung cancer screening. The lung cancer community is poised to realize an unprecedented scale and magnitude of benefit from early detection due to five-year survival rates of only 4.3% when lung cancer is diagnosed as metastatic disease versus 55.2% when confined to the primary site. Given the import and potential of this opportunity, there has been a clear need to develop programs and guidance to ensure the safe, responsible, and equitable implementation of lung cancer screening and to bring proper health messages to those at risk. Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), a national non-profit cancer advocacy organization, recognized this gap and has stepped in to support the adoption of best practices and consumer safety measures, as well as public service messaging about screening risk and benefit.