Lung cancer caused an estimated 127070 deaths in the United States. Global mortality rates reached 18.7 per 100000 for men and 7.0 per 100000 for women. COPD appears in 40 to 53 percent of cases at diagnosis while Whites account for 84 percent of SEER records.
Key Takeaways
- In the US, the proportion of lung cancer diagnosed among Whites is higher than Blacks; Whites account for 84% of cases in SEER
- In the US, COPD is present in about 40% of people with lung cancer at diagnosis (peer-reviewed estimate reported by review evidence)
- In a large US cohort analysis, 53% of patients with non–small cell lung cancer had a history of COPD (peer-reviewed)
- In 2020, lung cancer mortality rate was 18.7 per 100,000 for men and 7.0 per 100,000 for women globally (GLOBOCAN estimates)
- Smoking prevalence (US adults) was 11.5% in 2023 (CDC BRFSS)
- In the US, 10% of lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon exposure (EPA)
- 3.5% of US adults age 18+ were current cigarette smokers in 2022 (including daily and nondaily smoking).
- 2.8% of US adults age 18+ reported ever being told they had COPD (NHIS 2022 estimate).
- In 2022, there were 127,070 lung cancer deaths in the US (estimated).
- A 20-year-old cohort study reported that lung cancer risk decreases after smoking cessation, with a measurable reduction in risk beginning within 1 year of quitting and continuing thereafter.
- In the NLST, cumulative incidence of false-positive results was high: 24.2% of participants had at least one false-positive screening test over the study period.
- In the NELSON trial, invitation to screening with CT resulted in a 26% reduction in lung cancer mortality (overall).
- In 2023, the global lung cancer therapeutics market reached $35.8 billion (estimated).
- The global non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapeutics market was $29.6 billion in 2023 (estimated).
- The global next-generation sequencing (NGS) market reached $10.2 billion in 2023 (estimated).
Lung cancer outcomes vary widely, but CT screening and targeted immunotherapy can cut mortality and improve survival.
Related reading
01 · Category
Comorbidities And Demographics3 stats
01
In the US, the proportion of lung cancer diagnosed among Whites is higher than Blacks; Whites account for 84% of cases in SEER
02
In the US, COPD is present in about 40% of people with lung cancer at diagnosis (peer-reviewed estimate reported by review evidence)
03
In a large US cohort analysis, 53% of patients with non–small cell lung cancer had a history of COPD (peer-reviewed)
Interpretation
Comorbidities And Demographics Interpretation
Across US demographics and comorbidities, lung cancer disproportionately affects White patients at diagnosis with Whites accounting for 84% of SEER cases, while COPD is highly prevalent with about 40% of patients having it at diagnosis and 53% reporting a history of COPD in a large non small cell lung cancer cohort.
02 · Category
Epidemiology Scope1 stats
01
In 2020, lung cancer mortality rate was 18.7 per 100,000 for men and 7.0 per 100,000 for women globally (GLOBOCAN estimates)
Interpretation
Epidemiology Scope Interpretation
Globally in 2020, lung cancer mortality was much higher for men at 18.7 per 100,000 than for women at 7.0 per 100,000, highlighting a clear gender gap in epidemiology.
03 · Category
Risk Factors2 stats
01
Smoking prevalence (US adults) was 11.5% in 2023 (CDC BRFSS)
02
In the US, 10% of lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon exposure (EPA)
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
From a risk factors perspective, lung cancer exposure is tightly linked to preventable hazards, with smoking affecting 11.5% of US adults in 2023 and radon accounting for 10% of US lung cancer deaths.
04 · Category
Incidence & Risk2 stats
01
3.5% of US adults age 18+ were current cigarette smokers in 2022 (including daily and nondaily smoking).
02
2.8% of US adults age 18+ reported ever being told they had COPD (NHIS 2022 estimate).
Interpretation
Incidence & Risk Interpretation
Under the Incidence and Risk framing, the figures show that in 2022 about 3.5% of US adults age 18 and older were current cigarette smokers, and 2.8% reported ever being told they had COPD, underscoring how smoking-related risk factors remain present in the population.
More related reading
05 · Category
Epidemiology & Outcomes1 stats
01
In 2022, there were 127,070 lung cancer deaths in the US (estimated).
Interpretation
Epidemiology & Outcomes Interpretation
In the epidemiology and outcomes picture for lung cancer, the estimated 127,070 deaths in the US in 2022 underscore the continued heavy mortality burden from this disease.
06 · Category
Screening & Early Detection6 stats
01
A 20-year-old cohort study reported that lung cancer risk decreases after smoking cessation, with a measurable reduction in risk beginning within 1 year of quitting and continuing thereafter.
02
In the NLST, cumulative incidence of false-positive results was high: 24.2% of participants had at least one false-positive screening test over the study period.
03
In the NELSON trial, invitation to screening with CT resulted in a 26% reduction in lung cancer mortality (overall).
04
In the UK Lung Cancer Screening (UKLS) pilot, 1.7% of screened participants had a positive CT screen (for referral for further investigation).
05
A single low-dose CT screening scan delivers an estimated effective dose of about 1.5 mSv (typical reported range 1–3 mSv depending on protocol).
06
In a large real-world study, guideline-concordant lung cancer screening attendance was associated with a 35% reduction in advanced-stage diagnosis (relative effect).
Interpretation
Screening & Early Detection Interpretation
Across lung cancer Screening and Early Detection evidence, low-dose CT screening strategies show meaningful mortality and stage benefits, including a 26% overall reduction in lung cancer mortality in the NELSON trial and a 35% reduction in advanced-stage disease in real-world practice, while acknowledging tradeoffs like high false positives at 24.2% in the NLST.
07 · Category
Market & Industry4 stats
01
In 2023, the global lung cancer therapeutics market reached $35.8 billion (estimated).
02
The global non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapeutics market was $29.6 billion in 2023 (estimated).
03
The global next-generation sequencing (NGS) market reached $10.2 billion in 2023 (estimated).
04
In 2022, programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) testing was performed for 70% of advanced NSCLC cases in the US (pathology practice estimate).
Interpretation
Market & Industry Interpretation
In 2023, lung cancer therapeutics totaled about $35.8 billion with NSCLC at $29.6 billion, while the $10.2 billion next-generation sequencing market and PD-L1 testing covering 70% of advanced NSCLC in the US in 2022 signal a market increasingly driven by advanced diagnostics.
08 · Category
Treatment & Biomarkers10 stats
01
In a phase 3 trial, first-line pembrolizumab monotherapy improved median overall survival to 26.3 months vs 13.4 months with chemotherapy in PD-L1 ≥50% NSCLC (Keynote-024).
02
In the CheckMate 227 trial, nivolumab plus ipilimumab improved median progression-free survival to 7.2 months vs 5.3 months with chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC (subset findings reported).
03
In the ADAURA trial, adjuvant osimertinib reduced the risk of disease recurrence by 83% (hazard ratio 0.17) in stage IB–IIIA EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
04
In the FLAURA trial, median overall survival for first-line osimertinib was 38.6 months vs 31.8 months for comparator EGFR-TKIs in advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
05
In a registry study, 5-year survival for resected stage I–II lung cancer was 68% for patients with detected EGFR mutations receiving targeted management pathways (observational estimate).
06
In the KEYNOTE-024 trial, the objective response rate was 45% for pembrolizumab vs 28% for chemotherapy in PD-L1 ≥50% NSCLC.
07
In the IMpower150 trial, atezolizumab plus chemotherapy improved median overall survival to 19.2 months vs 14.7 months with chemotherapy alone in advanced non-squamous NSCLC (overall).
08
In the PACIFIC trial, durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy improved 5-year overall survival to 43.5% vs 33.4% in unresectable stage III NSCLC.
09
In a large meta-analysis, adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy in resected NSCLC improved 5-year survival by an absolute 5.4 percentage points compared with surgery alone.
10
In the ASCO lung cancer biomarker guideline, EGFR mutation testing is recommended for all patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC (100% testing recommendation).
Interpretation
Treatment & Biomarkers Interpretation
Across major Lung Cancer Treatment & Biomarkers studies, therapies guided by biomarkers deliver clear survival and disease control gains, including pembrolizumab raising overall survival to 26.3 months versus 13.4 months, osimertinib cutting recurrence risk by 83% with a hazard ratio of 0.17, and combining nivolumab plus ipilimumab improving progression free survival to 7.2 months versus 5.3 months.
report visual · Comparison
Lung cancer and COPD: how common COPD is at diagnosis
Across large US cohorts and peer-reviewed estimates, COPD is present in a substantial share of people diagnosed with lung cancer.
In the US, the proportion of lung cancer diagnosed among Whites is higher than Blacks; Whites account for 84% of cases i84%
In a large US cohort analysis, 53% of patients with non–small cell lung cancer had a history of COPD (peer-reviewed)
53%
In the US, COPD is present in about 40% of people with lung cancer at diagnosis (peer-reviewed estimate reported by revi
40%
source-verifiedncbi.nlm.nih.gov · seer.cancer.gov
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Lung Cancer Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/lung-cancer-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "Lung Cancer Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/lung-cancer-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Lung Cancer Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/lung-cancer-statistics.
Sources & references
29 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+12 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)