On 1 August every year, organisations, academics and people around the world commemorate World Lung Cancer Day to celebrate and support those impacted by the disease.
Established in 2012 by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) in collaboration with other health organisations, World Lung Cancer Day focuses on educating the public about risk factors such as smoking, air pollution, and occupational exposures, while advocating for research and improved access to care.
This year, the Lung Cancer Research Foundation is sharing stories from those impacted, with survivors, caregivers, doctors, researchers, and supporters explaining why raising awareness and funds for research is more important than ever.
How lung cancer impacts people across the world
Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, accounting for 1.8 million new cases in 2012, and is responsible for nearly one in five cancer deaths according to the World Health Organization.
Phesi, a global provider of patient-centric data analytics, has released recent stats surrounding lung cancer rates. They include:
- Non-small cell lung cancer is the world’s 5th most studied disease: 2024 saw NSCLC re-enter Phesi’s ranking of the top 5 most-studied diseases for the first time since 2021. The analysis reveals that more than half (51%) of all NSCLC trials are now biomarker-specific. The full report from Phesi contains further data exploring the current state of NSCLC clinical development and details the biomarkers that are of most interest to researchers.
- Lung cancer is among the cancers with the highest levels of real-world data: Phesi’s latest analysis of 167 million oncology patient data records shows that the third largest volume of real-world patient data exists on lung cancer, with almost four million patient records from more than 16,000 cohorts.
How the day is being commemorated across the globe
Today, organisations and people across the world are honouring World Lung Cancer Day with their own unique events.
LCFA America social media take over
The Lung Cancer Foundation of America is hosting a four-hour social media extravaganza, starting at 9am PST today.
During this, leading oncologists, specialists, and researchers will discuss the latest advancements in lung cancer screening and treatment:
- Live video presentations and Q&A sessions
- Expert threads breaking down complex topics
- Interviews and interactive polls
View the full schedule here.
The SOLACE project: Increasing lung cancer screening to reduce mortality
Marking the day, Dr Anna Kerpel-Fronius and Professor Joanna Chorostowska-Wynimko, co-scientific coordinators of the EU-funded SOLACE project, stressed the importance of the EU-funded project to deliver successful screening strategies.
The project includes 37 partners across 15 EU countries, with sites in 12 countries running implementation pilots: Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain.
Outcomes and conclusions from the SOLACE pilots will feed into the development of evidence-based guidelines to support the implementation of screening programmes in the EU and the wider adoption of these approaches.
Start your smoke-free journey this World Lung Cancer Day
In the UK, the NHS Stop Smoking Service is sharing facts and risks associated with smoking and developing lung cancer.
Smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products is the biggest risk factor for developing lung cancer. The more you smoke, the greater your risk, but there are no safe levels of smoking, and even one puff starts off the inflammatory process in the lungs.
Furthermore, inhaled smoke damages the cells in the lining of the lungs because the smoke contains chemicals which are carcinogens and have the potential to cause cancer.
The service encourages smokers to check their symptoms and visit their GP, lowering the risk of lung cancer.