Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women. It is estimated that about 150,000 people will die from lung cancer this year. That is more than colon, breast, and prostate cancer combined.

Lung cancer occurs when cells within your lungs start growing on their own. This uncontrollable growth increases in size to eventually form a detectable tumor. Some tumors can cause death (malignant) and spread to other regions of the body (metastasize).

About 85% of lung cancers are related to smoking. The best way to lower your risk of lung cancer is not to smoke or stop smoking

Once any cancer occurs, the first goal is early detection. This is because patient survival improves dramatically when cancers are found at a smaller, earlier stage. This is especially true with lung cancer.
Lung cancer has a very high death rate. This is partly because of the nature of the cancer itself and partly because it is often found when it is larger. If patients present to the doctor with symptoms of lung cancer, the tumor is often larger in size. If caught earlier, lung cancer can be curable.