A Snapshot of
National Cancer Institute Lung Cancer
Incidence and Mortality Rate U.S. Lung Cancer Incidence
160
Trends
140
Lung cancer is the second most common
Incidence per 100,000
120
cancer and is the primary cause of cancer-
related death in both men and women in 100
the United States. The overall mortality rate 80
for lung and bronchus cancers rose steadily 60
through the 1980s and peaked around
40
1993. The trends in lung cancer incidence
and mortality rates have closely mirrored 20
historical patterns of smoking prevalence, 0
after accounting for a lag period. Because the 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008
prevalence of smoking peaked later in women
than in men, incidence and mortality rates for U.S. Lung Cancer Mortality
160
men have dropped in the past decade but have
140
remained stable for women. Mortality rates
Mortality per 100,000
are highest among African-American males, 120
followed by white males. 100
It is estimated that approximately $10.3 80
billion1 is spent in the United States each year 60
on lung cancer treatment.
40
Source for incidence and mortality data: Surveillance,
Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program and the 20
National Center for Health Statistics. Additional statistics
0
and charts are available at http://seer.cancer.gov/.
1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007
1
Cancer Trends Progress Report (http://progressreport.
cancer.gov), in 2006 dollars. White Males White Females Overall Rate
African-American Males African-American Females
Trends in NCI Funding for Lung
Cancer Research
The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) NCI Lung Cancer Research Investment
$5.12B
investment2 in lung cancer research increased $4.75B $4.79B $4.83B $4.97B
5
from $242.9 million in fiscal year (FY) 2006
300
to $281.9 million in FY 2010. In addition, $281.9M
4
NCI supported $69.3 million in lung 250 $242.9M $247.6M $246.9M
Billions of Dollars
cancer research in FY 2009 and 2010 using
Millions of Dollars
$226.9M
funding from the American Recovery and 200 3
Reinvestment Act (ARRA).3
150
Source: NCI Office of Budget and Finance (http://obf. 2
cancer.gov).
100
2
The estimated NCI investment is based on funding 1
associated with a broad range of peer-reviewed scientific 50
activities. For additional information on research
planning and budgeting at the National Institutes of 0 0
Health (NIH), see http://www.nih.gov/about/. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
U.S. DEPARTMENT
3 Fiscal Year
OF HEALTH AND For more information regarding ARRA funding at
NCI, see http://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/recovery/
HUMAN SERVICES Lung Cancer Funding Total NCI Budget
recoveryfunding.
National Institutes Snapshots can be found online at:
of Health http://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/servingpeople/cancer-statistics/snapshots
Examples of NCI Activities Relevant to Lung
Cancer NCI Lung Cancer Research Portfolio
Scientific Model
• The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) is assessing the Systems
Biology
feasibility of systematically identifying the major genomic Cancer Control,
Survivorship, and
changes involved in 20 cancers using state-of-the-art Outcomes Research 3%
13%
genomic analysis technologies. TCGA researchers are
hoping to identify genomic changes that divide lung 19%
cancers into molecular subgroups that distinguish between
lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, and Etiology
16% (Causes
between lung cancer in smokers and nonsmokers. http:// of Cancer)
cancergenome.nih.gov/
• The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO)
Cancer Screening Trial is determining whether certain 21%
12%
cancer screening tests reduce deaths from prostate, lung,
colorectal, and ovarian cancers. The lung cancer component Treatment Prevention
of the PLCO is investigating whether regular chest X-rays 16%
will reduce deaths from lung cancer in both men and
Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Prognosis
women. http://dcp.cancer.gov/plco
Percentage of Total Dollars by Scientific Area
• Environment and Genetics in Lung Cancer Etiology Fiscal Year 2010
(EAGLE), a collaboration between scientists from the
Data source: The NCI Funded Research Portfolio. Only projects with
United States and Italy, aims to identify the genetic and
assigned scientific area codes are included. A description of relevant
environmental determinants of both lung cancer and research projects can be found on the NCI Funded Research Portfolio
smoking and to elucidate determinants of successful therapy Web site at http://fundedresearch.cancer.gov
and long-term survival. http://eagle.cancer.gov/
• NCI supports two Lung Cancer Epidemiology Consortia,
the International Lung Cancer Consortium and the Genetic interdisciplinary research and moving basic research results
Epidemiology of Lung Cancer Consortium. These consortia from the laboratory to the clinical setting. http://trp.cancer.
promote collaborative research and sharing of data from gov/spores/lung.htm
ongoing and completed lung cancer studies. http://epi. • The What You Need to Know About™ Lung Cancer booklet
grants.cancer.gov/Consortia/tables/lung.html provides information about lung cancer diagnosis, staging,
• The NCI-supported National Lung Screening Trial treatment, and comfort care. Information specialists can
compared two ways of detecting lung cancer—low- also answer questions about cancer at 1-800-4-CANCER.
dose helical computed tomography (CT) and standard http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/lung
chest X-ray—to determine the effects of these screening
• The NCI Lung Cancer Home Page provides up-to-date
techniques on lung cancer mortality. http://www.cancer.
information on lung cancer treatment, prevention, genetics,
gov/clinicaltrials/noteworthy-trials/nlst causes, screening, testing, and other related topics. http://
• Eight lung-cancer-specific Specialized Programs www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/lung
of Research Excellence (SPOREs) are promoting
Selected Advances in Lung Cancer Research
• Results of a case-control study suggest that chronic • Several genome-wide association studies have found that a
inflammation from infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae genetic locus associated with an increased risk of lung
may promote lung cancer development. http://dceg.cancer. cancer in smokers is also associated with lung cancer
gov/newsletter/nov10/1110_scientifichighlights.shtml and risk in nonsmokers. http://dceg.cancer.gov/newsletter/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20501758 nov10/1110_scientifichighlights.shtml and http://www.
• Initial results of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20700438
show 20 percent fewer lung cancer deaths among current • A phase I clinical trial demonstrated that an experimental
or former heavy smokers screened by low-dose helical CT drug called PF299804 is well tolerated and may have
compared with those screened by chest X-ray. http://www. antitumor activity in patients with advanced lung cancer.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21714641 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21220471
Last updated October 2011