Lung cancer is the number one cancer death rate, and these people must be screened

Current status of lung cancer

Lung cancer is the No. 1 cancer in terms of cancer mortality, and in the latest statistics, it has surpassed stomach cancer to become the No. 1 cancer in Korea. As of 2019, 30,000 people per year in Korea have an annual incidence of lung cancer, and 170,000 people die from lung cancer every year in the United States alone, which is the No. 1 disease in developed countries such as the United States. That's more than the number of deaths from breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers combined.

And the 5-year survival rate of lung cancer patients in Korea is around 15%, which is much lower than that of other types of cancer.

Types and causes of lung cancer

Lung cancer is divided into non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer based on the shape of cancer cells, and 80~85% of all lung cancer patients are non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is further divided into adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. Among them, lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer, and it has a great risk of occurring in women and non-smokers.

One of the most common causes of lung cancer is smoking. It can also be caused by genetic factors, air pollution such as asbestos and radon used in construction, cooking fumes, and fine dust. This is why lung cancer is also more common in women and non-smokers.

How to Screening for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is one of the cancers that is difficult to detect early. By the time clinical symptoms such as cough and phlegm appear, it is often already stage 3 or higher. This is why early screening is so important.

The most commonly used screening method is low-dose chest CT. The test was first performed 20 years ago and is mainly used to screen for lung cancer and liver glass shades. As the name suggests, it is a screening method that drastically reduces the amount of radiation emitted, so it is safe to take a picture once a year. It is the best test for diagnosing lung cancer at an early stage. The price is set at around 100,000 won.

Even if the price seems a bit high, there are times when lung cancer screening is absolutely necessary. First of all, the government allows men and women aged 54~74 who have a smoking history of 30 pack years* or more to receive a medical examination for 10,000 won.

In addition, after the age of 60, as with all cancers, the risk of developing lung cancer increases, so a low-dose chest CT scan is recommended once every two years.

In addition, people who need regular lung cancer screenings include: