Lung cancer survival rates are improving for everyone, including people of color, according to the American Lung Association’s 2023 “State of Lung Cancer” report, released Tuesday.
In a state-by-state breakdown, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia are ranked on a wide range of indicators, including new cases of lung cancer, survival, early diagnosis, surgical treatment, lack of treatment and screening rates.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nationally, the report shows people are living longer after being diagnosed with lung cancer: The five-year survival rate increased 22% nationally to 26.6% from 2015 to 2019. In addition, the survival rate has increased at a faster pace among communities of color, so that it is no longer significantly lower compared to white individuals, the report found.
According to the American Lung Association report, close to 238,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year.
“Lung cancer has one of the lowest five-year survival rates because cases are often diagnosed at later stages, when it is less likely to be curable,” according to the lung association. Survival rates were best in Rhode Island (33.3%) and worst in Oklahoma (21.2%).
Virginia among leaders in lung cancer screening, treatment
Virginia ranks 10 out of 51 jurisdictions in the nation for lung cancer screening at 7.2%. Nationally, only 4.5% of those at high risk are screened for lung cancer. According to the American Lung Association, annual low-dose CT scans for those at high risk can reduce the lung cancer death rate by up to 20%.
Another positive trend: Virginia has seen a 28% improvement in the past five years in the number of cancer patients receiving treatment, ranking it 8 out of 47. In Virginia, 16.9% of cancer patients don’t receive treatment — the national average if 20.6%.
On the negative side, Black individuals in Virginia are 21% less likely than white individuals to receive surgery as the first course of treatment, and 17% less likely to be diagnosed early. Lung cancer can often be treated with surgery, if it is diagnosed at an early stage and has not spread.
Nationally, 20.8% of cancer patients receive surgery.
Maryland lags in screening, above average for treatment, survival and surgery
Maryland ranks 36th in the nation — below average — for lung cancer screening, according to the new state-by-state breakdown.
In Maryland, only 2.9% of high-risk individuals undergo annual low-dose CT scans — far below the national average of 4.5%.
However, Maryland ranked above average — 7 out of 47 states measured — for surgery as first course of treatment, for five-year survival (11 out of 42) and treatment (14 out of 47).
Maryland is showing a marked improvement in the rate of new cancer cases, ranking 15 out of 48 n the nation at 52.1 per 100,000 — a 22% improvement in the past five years. Nationally, the rate is 54.6 per 100,000.
DC trails in screening, treatment, leads country in low adult smoking rates
The District is among the worst in the nation for lung cancer screening, ranking 46th, as well as lung cancer treatment (42 out of 47), according to the lung association’s report.
However, D.C. also ranked among the best for adult smoking rates (3 out of 51), as well as EPA recommended action level radon test results (6 out of 51).
The District ranked well for new lung cancer case incident rates, at 8 out of 48, however Black individuals are receiving a disproportionate number of diagnoses.
According to the state-by-state breakdown, Black individuals in the District are most likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer — 129% more likely than white individuals at 57.6 out of 100,000 people, compared to 25.2 out of 100,000 for white individuals.
In terms of screening, the District ranks 46 out of 51, with only 1.5% of high-risk individuals receive annual CT scans — far below the national average of 4.5%.
In addition, the percentage of cancer patients who receive surgery in the District is 20.1% — a 39% decrease over the past five years, although it remained incrementally above the national rate of 20.8%
Nationally, 13.5% of adults in the U.S. are current smokers; in the District, it’s 9.5%, placing it in the top tier.
