Lung Cancer

It is most common in (but not limited to)...

• Usually diagnosed at age 65+, fewer cases for anyone below the age of 45
• Black men are about 12% more likely to develop lung cancer than White men
• The rate is about 16% lower in Black women than in White women
• Overall, more prominent in males

Some risk factors that make your chances of lung cancer greater:

• Smoking
• Exposure to secondhand smoke
• Previous radiation therapy
• Exposure to radon gas
• Exposure to cancer-causing substances
• Family history of lung cancer

Symptoms/When to contact a doctor:

• Early on, it is possible for no symptoms to appear
• Chest pain when taking a deep breath, coughing, or laughing
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Wheezing
• Coughing up blood
• Phlegm that’s brownish or reddish in color
• Persistent cough
• Hoarseness
• Unintentional weight loss
• Reduced appetite

Learn more

See screening options and timelines on the Lung Cancer Screening page.