FAST FACTS

• Lung cancer is a disease in which certain cells in the lungs become abnormal and multiply uncontrollably to form a tumour.

• Lung cancer is most common in older people and the risk increases with age. It’s rare in people younger than 40.

• It is generally divided into two types — small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, based on the size of the affected cells.

• Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for 85 per cent of lung cancer, while small cell lung cancer accounts for the remaining 15 per cent.

• Small cell lung cancer grows quickly and often metastasises, most commonly to the liver, brain, bones, and adrenal glands (small hormone-producing glands located on top of each kidney). After diagnosis, most people with small cell lung cancer survive for about one year; less than seven per cent survive five years.

• Non-small cell lung cancer is divided into three subtypes: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell lung carcinoma.

• The five-year survival rate for people with non-small cell lung cancer is usually between 11 and 17 per cent. It can be lower or higher depending on the subtype and stage of the cancer.

• Lung carcinoid tumours are rare, grow very slowly and usually do not spread.

• Lung cancer is hard to find in its early stages. It may take years for the cancer to grow and there usually are no symptoms early on.

• Researchers are working to develop tests that can find lung cancer in its early stages. New studies have shown that low-dose CT screening for high-risk individuals who meet certain guidelines can save lives. Source : US National Library of Medicine, American Lung Association