On November 30th, 2021, S.Res.462, which designates November 2021 as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month and expresses support for the early detection and treatment of lung cancer was passed by unanimous consent in the U.S. Senate. U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn) led the effort to introduce this bipartisan resolution into the U.S. Senate, alongside U.S. Senators Rubio (R-Fla.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), Capito (R-W.Va.), and Scott (R-S.C.).

 

The passage of S.Res.462 in the U.S. Senate represents a significant step forward to increase awareness of lung cancer and lung cancer screening in the U.S. In 2021 alone, it is estimated that 131,880 Americans will die from lung cancer. Increasing the number of lung cancers diagnosed at earlier stages through lung cancer screening can lead to tens of thousands of American lives saved every year. However, currently, less than 6% of Americans eligible for lung cancer screening are getting screened.

 

Due to the changes made in the 2021 United States Preventive Services Task Force lung cancer screening guidelines, the number of Americans eligible for lung cancer screening has increased by approximately 80%, from 8 million to 14.5 million. Notably, the greatest increases are estimated to occur among women and minorities. With the increased number of eligible Americans under the new guidelines, coordinated efforts between national leaders and community organizations to raise awareness of lung cancer and lung cancer screening are pivotal to increasing the number of high-risk Americans getting screened, and ultimately, saving American lives.

 

The American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative worked closely with Senator Smith and her office to draft S.Res.462. As a leading organization working to increase awareness of and access to lung cancer screening, we are proud to support this resolution illustrating the importance of lung cancer screening. The passage of S.Res.462 marks the second year the U.S. Senate has recognized the importance of the early detection of lung cancer through screening. Of note, S.Res.462 builds upon last year's resolution (S.Res.780) to specifically emphasize the need for efforts to increase awareness of lung cancer in women and racial minorities. We are committed to working to achieve more widespread awareness of and access to lung cancer screening. Furthermore, we are committed to increasing screening eligibility for more high-risk Americans that are currently ineligible for screening, including former smokers who quit smoking more than 15 years ago and never smokers with additional risk factors, such as a family history of lung cancer.

 

We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Senator Smith and the support of Senators Rubio, Van Hollen, Capito, and Scott to increase awareness of lung cancer and lung cancer screening. We are committed to continuing the important work of collaborating with leaders and communities at the national, state, and local levels to achieve the goals outlined in S.Res.462.

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You can read a copy of the resolution here.