Lung Cancer
Lung cancer forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages. The two main types are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.
Why Employers Should Care?
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women in the US.
- New cases estimated for 2009: 219,440 (116,090 men and 103, 350 women)1
- Deaths estimated for 2009: 159,3901
- Among both men and women in the United States, lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer, accounting for more deaths than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer combined.2
- Smoking is responsible for 90 percent of lung cancer cases.3
- Unlike other cancers, where early detection is possible and improves survival, lung cancer is usually not detected until it is in a very advanced stage.
- Risk factors for lung cancer include smoking, age, family history, exposure to passive smoking (second-hand smoke), environmental radiation and asbestos exposure.
- Direct medical cost for treatment of lung cancer is approximately $5 billion annually.3 This makes it one of the most expensive cancers to treat in the country.
What Employers Should Do?
- Launch worksite smoking cessation programs and support employees in their efforts to join a smoking cessation program. Smoking is directly associated with more than three in four cases of lung cancer. Employers could launch smoking cessation programs — that include incentives, counseling and support tools — to help employees lead healthier lives.
- Offer non-smoking employees incentives to remain smoke-free. These incentives could be financial (e.g., discounted health care) or could be rewards.
- Ensure that health education materials around smoking and lung cancer are culturally and linguistically competent. Ensure that these materials include information and pictures that will resonate with a diverse audience.
Other Resources
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