Efforts by U.S. lawmakers and public health officials to boost awareness of the importance of lung cancer screening gathered steam after the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan resolution for the fourth year in a row designating November 2023 as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month and expressing support for the early detection and treatment of lung cancer. S.Res.512, which was passed by unanimous consent on December 18th, expands on the previous resolutions by emphasizing the need for efforts to increase awareness of screening among veterans, women, and racial minorities. We worked with Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) to introduce and pass this resolution in the Senate, along with Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Shelley Capito (R-WV) who are cosponsors of the resolution. 

 

The move by the U.S. Senate adds to a growing movement of local, state, and national leaders expressing support for lung cancer screening. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., killing more than 127,000 a year. The majority of lung cancers are diagnosed once the disease has spread beyond the lungs, for which the five-year survival rate is just 7 percent. The 5-year-survival rate for localized lung cancer is 61 percent. However, only 19 percent of lung cancers are diagnosed at this stage.

 

Lung cancer screening could cut lung cancer deaths by almost half, saving roughly 60,000 lives each year in the United States. Yet fewer than 6 percent of those eligible are screened. In comparison, up to 77 percent of eligible people are screened for breast, cervical, and colon cancer. We hope this resolution will increase awareness of many of the key issues regarding lung cancer diagnosis, treatment, and research as well as highlight the importance of the early detection of lung cancer and the current disparities and challenges within lung cancer screening.

 

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. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of the senators listed previously 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.512.

 

You can read a copy of the resolution here or can watch its passing here. 

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About the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative: 

The American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative (ALCSI; www.alcsi.org) is a 501(c)3 non-profit working to increase awareness of lung cancer screening and help individuals at high risk for lung cancer get screened. The work of the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative focuses on teaching communities and healthcare providers about the importance of the early detection of lung cancer through screening and working with leaders at the national, state, and local levels to increase awareness of and access to lung cancer screening. To learn more about the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative and support the work they are doing, visit www.alcsi.org or follow them on Twitter @AmLungCSI, Facebook @americanlungcancerscreeninginitiative, or Instagram @amlungcsi. If you are interested in

working with the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative to increase awareness of lung cancer and lung cancer screening in your community, email info@alcsi.org.