Survey: Public Clueless about Lung Cancer -- Part 3

The Lung Cancer Action Network commissioned a national online survey of 2,026 adults and asked a series of questions to gauge their knowledge about lung cancer. The survey was completed between Oct. 11-15, 2018.

Our hopes for the survey

Let me emphasize that this survey was designed to raise awareness among the public -- not the lung cancer community. Unfortunately, those of us who have been diagnosed or had a loved one diagnosed with lung cancer have learned lung cancer facts the hard way. Our goal is to spread awareness about this survey among those who are unaware in the hopes of showing that anyone can get lung cancer and no one deserves it.

Prior to the survey, we asked respondents whether they knew a little, a lot or not much at all about various types of cancer. At the end of the survey, we asked respondents if they or someone close to them had been diagnosed with cancer, and if so, which type(s) of cancer.

The Know Cancer survey

Below are the primary questions included in the Know Cancer survey:

1) __________ cancer is the #1 cancer killer of men.

• Prostate
• Colon
• Lung
• Testicular

Approximately 15 percent chose the correct answer which is LUNG. Lung cancer kills nearly three times as many men as prostate cancer.

2) __________ cancer is the #1 cancer killer of women.

• Breast
• Colon
• Lung
• Ovarian

Approximately 6 percent chose the correct answer which is LUNG. Lung cancer kills early twice as many women as breast cancer.

3) __________ cancer receives the most National Cancer Institute research funding.

• Breast
• Colon
• Lung
• Prostate

The majority of respondents, approximately 61 percent, answered this question correctly. The correct answer is BREAST.

4) Which of the following cancer types have approved screening protocols for at-risk patients? (Choose all that apply)

• Breast
• Colon
• Lung
• Prostate

The correct answers were BREAST, COLON, and LUNG. 71 percent chose Breast; 57 percent chose Colon; 56 percent chose Prostate; 35 percent chose Lung. (Total do not equal 100 because respondents could choose multiple answers.)

5) What is the recommended screening method for those considered at risk for breast cancer?

• X-ray
• Mammogram
• Biopsy

Approximately 87 percent chose the correct answer which is MAMMOGRAM.

6) What is the approved screening method for those considered at risk for lung cancer?

• X-ray
• CT scan
• Biopsy

Approximately 47 percent chose the correct answer which is CT SCAN.

7) __________ is the second leading cause of lung cancer.

• Air pollution
• Asbestos
• Diesel exhaust,
• Radon

Approximately 12 percent chose the correct answer which is RADON.

8) Former smokers may qualify for lung cancer screening if it has been __________ year(s) or less since they quit smoking.

• 1
• 5
• 10
• 15

Approximately 9 percent chose the correct answer which is 15 years.

9) Approximately __________ percent of lung cancer diagnoses are in people who either have never smoked or are former smokers.

• 10
• 25
• 40
• 65

Approximately 13 percent chose the correct answer which is 65 percent. (Approximately half are former smokers and another estimated 15 percent never smoked.)

10) Screening for people at high risk can reduce lung cancer deaths by __________%.

• 5
• 10
• 15
• 20

Nearly half, approximately 49 percent chose the correct answer which is 20 percent. (However, interestingly, a study just released found that screening can reduce lung cancer deaths by an even greater percentage.)

Read more about the Lung Cancer Action Network's national survey in Part I here and Part II here.