CHICAGO, Nov. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lung cancer is the nation's leading cause of cancer death. According to the American Lung Association, screening can save thousands of lives, yet less than 5 percent of the estimated 9 million Americans considered "high risk" have been screened. In recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness Month this November, the American Lung Association's LUNG FORCE initiative, nationally presented by CVS Health, remains committed to raising awareness of lung cancer and the benefits of early detection through lung cancer screening. Today, the organization released findings from its 4th annual Lung Health Barometer, which revealed critically low awareness of the lifesaving potential of lung cancer screening.
The Lung Health Barometer is a survey designed to better understand what Americans know about lung cancer and lung cancer screening. This year's survey included 1,400 people, both women and men and high-risk current and former smokers.
Among the high-risk population, the survey revealed:
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84 percent of high-risk Americans are unfamiliar with the only recommended lung cancer screening method available – the low-dose CT scan.
Despite it potentially saving their lives, 41 percent of high-risk current and former smokers are not planning on getting screened for lung cancer.
The top reason those at high risk for lung cancer are not getting screened is because their doctor never recommended it.
Among the general population, the survey revealed:
Only 3 percent of women cite lung cancer as a top-of-mind health concern, when in fact, one woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with lung cancer every 5 minutes.
87 percent of the general population is not familiar with the low-dose CT scan, the only approved lung cancer screening aimed at early detection.
The majority of the general population (62 percent) believe that not enough is being done to raise awareness of lung cancer.
The low-dose CT scan has the ability to save lives, and to raise public awareness about the new availability of screening for those considered at high risk, the American Lung Association recently partnered with the Ad Council to launch "Saved By The Scan."
"Saved By The Scan" is the first national public service advertising (PSA) campaign that educates Americans on the benefits of early detection through lung cancer screening and encourages high-risk individuals to take an online lung cancer screening eligibility quiz at SavedByTheScan.org. The low-dose CT scan is the only lung cancer screening tool that reduces the risk of dying from lung cancer by detecting lung cancer in the early stages, before symptoms arise, when the disease is more curable.
