Most of the statistics on lung cancer include both small cell and non-small cell lung cancers. In general, small cell lung cancer accounts for about 10% to 15% of all lung cancers.

The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for lung cancer in the United States are for 2009:

• About 219,440 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed (116,090 among men and 103,350 among women).

• There will be an estimated 159,390 deaths from lung cancer (88,900 among men and 70,490 among women), accounting for about 28% of all cancer deaths. More people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined.

Lung cancer mainly occurs in older people. About 2 out of 3 people diagnosed with lung cancer are older than 65; fewer than 3% of all cases are found in people under the age of 45. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 71.

Overall, the chance that a man will develop lung cancer in his lifetime is about 1 in 13; for a woman, the risk is about 1 in 16. These numbers include both smokers and non-smokers. For smokers the risk is much higher, while for non-smokers the risk is lower.

Black men are about 40% more likely to develop lung cancer than white men. The rate is about the same in black women and in white women. Both black and white women have lower rates than men, but the gap is closing. The rate of lung cancer has been dropping among men for several years and is fairly stable among women.

Statistics on survival in people with lung cancer vary depending on the stage (extent) of the cancer when it is diagnosed. Survival statistics based on the stage of the cancer are discussed in the section, "How is small cell lung cancer staged?"

Last Medical Review: 10/13/2009
Last Revised: 10/13/2009