Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, accounting for ~2 million diagnoses and 1.8 million deaths in 2020 alone.¹

Currently, the majority of lung cancers are detected at an advanced stage (stage IV), where survival rates are low.² Several trials, including US-based National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), the UK Lung Cancer Screening Trial (UKLST), the Dutch-Belgian lung cancer screening trial (NELSON study), and Taiwan Lung Cancer Screening in Never-smokers (TALENT) have shown that shifting lung cancer detection to an earlier stage – through interventions such as improved awareness and access to lung cancer early detection and screening programs in high-risk populations, including non-smokers - reduces lung cancer mortality.^2,3,4,5

Explore this interactive map to see how many more people could live five years post lung cancer diagnosis with the implementation of various screening program approaches, and to explore how geographies are currently working to save more lives from lung cancer.

The Saving Lives from Lung Cancer map has been developed by AstraZeneca, in collaboration with the Lung Cancer Policy Network. It is intended to provide an aspirational illustration of what geographies could achieve, if they take steps to increase lung cancer screening. Figures are calculated based on the data available. Where data is unavailable, assumptions have been made to generate data proxies. For more information about the aims and limitations of the Saving Lives from Lung Cancer Map, click here.

References
1. Sung et al. (2021). Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries. CA: A cancer journal for clinicians. 71(3): 191-280. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21660
2. de Koning, H.J. et al. (2020). Reduced lung-cancer mortality with volume CT screening in a randomized trial. New England Journal of Medicine. 382(6): 503-13
3. The National Lung Screening Trial Research Team (2011). Reduced Lung-Cancer Mortality with Low-Dose Computed Tomographic Screening. NEJM. 365:395-409. Available here: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1102873
4. Balata, H., et al. (2020). Attending community-based lung cancer screening influences smoking behaviour in deprived populations. Lung Cancer. 139:41-46. doi:10.1016/j.lungcan.2019.10.025
5. Yang, P. (2021). National Lung Cancer Screening Program in Taiwan: The TALENT Study, Journal of Thoracic Oncology. 16(3): S58 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2021.01.318