Which cancer causes the greatest number of deaths in the United States?  If you guessed lung cancer, you’re right.  We hear so little about lung cancer.  Each year we lose about 130,000 people to lung cancer in the United States.  That’s four times higher than colorectal and pancreatic cancer deaths, which average around 50,000 each year.  And it’s more than colon, breast and prostate cancer deaths combined.

According to the American Cancer Society, the average age of diagnoses with lung cancer is 65 and older, and it’s equal among women and men.  And if you get lung cancer, you have only a 50% survival rate.  The two largest causes of lung cancer are, to no surprise, smoking of tobacco products which accounts for over 80% of deaths.  And, you guessed it again, second-hand smoke- being exposed to tobacco smoke. 

November is LUNG CANCER Awareness Month, and with us to talk about this today is Dr. Luis A. Godoy, Assistant Professor in General Thoracic Surgery at UC Davis Health in Sacramento, California. He specializes in lung cancer surgery and patient care, with special interest in minimally invasive thoracic surgery. His research involves surgical quality improvement, surgical outcomes, clinical oncologic trials, and addressing healthcare disparities in thoracic oncology.