| Lung cancer is the nation’s leading cause of cancer deaths, and it’s estimated that 2,030 West Virginia residents will be diagnosed with this disease in 2020 alone.
This year’s “State of Lung Cancer” highlights the positive trend of increased lung cancer survival, as the nationwide five-year lung cancer survival rate of 22.6% reflects a 13% improvement over the past five years.
In West Virginia, the survival rate is among the worst in the nation at 18.3%, ranking 44 out of 47 states measured; and the new case incidence rate of 80.1 per 100,000 people is second worst in the nation, ranking 50 out of 51, second only to Kentucky’s 91.4 per 100,000 people.
On average, the higher prevalence of smoking, the more lung cancer cases in a state. West Virginia has the highest smoking rate in the nation with 25.3% of adults who are current smokers.
Greater state tobacco control and prevention efforts are necessary to improve lung health and save more lives.
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