Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the second most common cancer among both men and women in the United States.

The most important thing you can do to lower your lung cancer risk is to quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. For help quitting, visit smokefree.gov, call 1 (800) QUIT-NOW (784-8669), or text “QUIT” to 47848 from your cell phone.

The second leading cause of lung cancer is radon, a naturally occurring gas that comes from rocks and dirt and can get trapped in houses and buildings. Get your home tested for radon.

People who have smoked for many years may want to think about screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT). Talk to your doctor about lung cancer screening and the possible benefits and harms. Lung cancer screening is not a substitute for quitting smoking.

Next: Basic Information

Featured Resources

Our lung cancer infographic explains how to lower your risk.

A non-smoker shares her story about being diagnosed with lung cancer in this podcast.

CDC Expert Commentary on Medscape: Early Detection Means It’s a Promising Time for Lung Cancer

This article about lung cancer [PDF-69KB] is free to use in any publication.

Share our lung cancer images on your Web site, social network profile, or blog!

Our Household Radon promising practices brief [PDF-494KB] explains what can be done to reduce lung cancer deaths caused by radon in homes.