Lung Cancer Awareness Month: Helping patients through research
Lung Cancer Awareness Month occurs every November with the purpose of increasing general knowledge of lung cancer and the treatment options available to patients who have been diagnosed. While lung cancer is still a prevalent disease, there have been many advancements in the lung cancer treatment space over the years, and medical research studies are consistently underway to find better solutions for patients.
An overview of lung cancer statistics
Though lung cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the United States, it is the number one cause of cancer-related deaths for both men and women. The majority of people diagnosed with lung cancer are over the age of 65. Black men are the most likely to be diagnosed, followed by white men, white women, and black women.
Approximately 1 in 17 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime, and while numbers are down due to the decreased popularity of smoking, an estimated 10-20% of lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers.
The importance of lung cancer clinical trials
Clinical trials are how new treatments, medications, and therapies are discovered, and they can be a helpful part of a lung cancer patient’s treatment plan. Patients who take part in clinical trials have the opportunity to work with specialty doctors and receive personalized care, while also gaining access to potentially effective new treatments in the process.
"Lung cancer research is absolutely critical,” says Dr. Rich Towne, Antidote’s Senior Clinical Informatics Manager. “The more we learn about the pathology of lung cancer, the more we need clinical trials to address unmet needs in the lung cancer patient population. It's critical that we empower patients and oncologists to find research studies that are the right match for them"
One such patient who enrolled in a lung cancer research study is Nina Beaty, an artist from New York. With support from her doctors, she took part in a clinical trial for her small-cell lung cancer after she was given three to six months to live. Her story is such an inspiration to us, and it illustrates how life-changing clinical trial participation can be.
How lung cancer patients can participate in research
Because many people have never taken part in a clinical trial before, there can often be some confusion about enrolling in a study. However, clinical trials can give lung cancer patients more agency over their care and lead to breakthroughs in the cancer treatment space. To find trials that may be a good fit for you, visit our clinical trial search page or use the button below to get started.
