Lung Cancer Awareness Month 2022

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is taking the opportunity this November, Lung Cancer Awareness Month, to highlight the burden and principal risk factors of lung cancer around the world.

About 2.2 million cases of lung cancer were estimated to have occurred in 2020. IARC estimations consistently placed lung cancer as the most common cancer in the world until 2020, when the number of cases of breast cancer slightly surpassed the number of cases of lung cancer. However, lung cancer has been and remains the most common cause of cancer death globally. Almost 1.8 million people died from lung cancer in 2020, almost double the number of cancer deaths caused by the second most common cause of cancer death, colorectal cancer.

The principal risk factor for developing lung cancer remains tobacco smoking. Other common causes include exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution, diesel engine exhaust, welding fumes, and asbestos. Most cases and deaths occur in Asia, followed by Europe.

Currently, IARC researchers are working on a number of different projects to improve early detection of lung cancer, to identify individuals and groups most at risk, to investigate rare subtypes of lung cancer, and to improve survival in patients being treated for lung cancer. Some examples of these research projects are listed below.

A modeling analysis to compare eligibility strategies for lung cancer screening in Brazil

Achieving equity in lung cancer screening for Black individuals requires innovation to move beyond ‘equal’ guidelines

Investigating rare subtypes of lung cancer

Quitting smoking after diagnosis of lung cancer improves survival and reduces the risk of disease progression

International differences in lung cancer survival by sex, histological type and stage at diagnosis: an ICBP SURVMARK-2 study