Secondary prevention or screening refers to actions taken to diagnose a cancer or precursor as early as possible. However, these guidelines are recommended for the asymptomatic person. High-risk and symptomatic people may require ongoing and more frequent surveillance. Recent trends indicate an ongoing rise in lung cancer among American women and a decline among American men. According to ACS estimates, in 1999, an estimated 171,600 new cases of lung cancer and approximately 158,900 deaths will be attributed to lung cancer.
Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in men and women.
The most significant risk factor for lung cancer is cigarette smoking. Other risk factors include exposure to environmental and occupational substances, such as asbestos, radiation, arsenic, and organic chemicals, to name a few. 1 Current data also implicate passive smoking in lung cancer and more studies are underway. Because these symptoms do not arise during the early stages of lung cancer development, early detection is difficult. Avoiding tobacco products is the primary prevention measure for lung cancer.