Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Lung and bronchus cancer is the 3rd most common cancer, making it fairly common compared to other cancers.

According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 234,580 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2024.

According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer accounts for 11.7% of all new cancer diagnoses and 20.4% of all cancer deaths.

A risk factor is anything that increases your odds of developing lung cancer. It is important to be aware of your individual risk factors.

Tobacco smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer, linked to 80 to 90% of lung cancer deaths. People who smoke cigarettes, cigars or pipes are 15 to 30 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers. The more cigarettes someone smokes, the higher their risk for developing lung cancer increases.

Vaping is the use of electronic cigarettes, including e-cigarettes, e-cigs or vapes. New research suggests that people who smoke tobacco cigarettes and also vape are four times more likely to develop lung cancer than people who only smoke tobacco cigarettes.

Radon is another major cause of lung cancer, and the number one cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers. It is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that escapes from certain uranium-containing soils and rock formations and can seep into the home, particularly at the ground floor level.

Additional personal, health and lifestyle risk factors include:

• Personal history of lung cancer
• Family history of lung cancer (especially parents, brothers, sisters or children)
• Cancer survivors who had radiation therapy to the chest
• Regular exposure to certain chemicals such as asbestos, arsenic or diesel exhaust
• Living in areas with higher air pollution
• Secondhand smoke (exposure to tobacco smoke from other people)
• Vitamin supplements like beta carotene for people who smoke one or more packs per day

One or more risk factors do not guarantee you will develop lung cancer. At the same time, few or no risk factors do not mean you will not develop lung cancer.

Learn more about lung cancer risk factors ➝

If you receive a lung cancer diagnosis, your oncologist will also determine the stage to understand the cancer size, location and metastasis (spread). Cancer staging helps your health care team know what areas of the body are affected and in need of treatment.

Oncologists use the same staging system for non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. There are four stages:

• Stage 1 – The tumor is small (4 cm or less) and only in the lung. It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes or outside the chest.
• Stage 2 – There are larger tumors (more than 4 cm) or signs the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. It has not spread outside the lungs.
• Stage 3 – There is cancer in the lymph nodes of the chest further away from the lung or large tumors that spread to nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage 4 – There is cancer outside of the chest cavity where it started, such as in the other lung, bones, brain or adrenal gland on top of the kidney.