Why is Lung Cancer Research Important? Scientists who study lung cancer conduct research to better understand the disease, with the goal of advancing early detection and treatment, and ultimately saving lives.

There is Not Enough Funding for Lung Cancer Research
Lung cancer claims more lives each year than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined.¹ Yet these cancers receive proportionately more research funding than does lung cancer.

Research Investment Makes a Difference
Over the last 30 years, substantial investment has resulted in significant increases in survival of many diseases. For example:

• Breast Cancer
  US Government research funding: $750 million/year ^2,3
  Results: significant increase in 5-year survival rates: ⁴
    - Early 1970s – 75%
    - Today – 90%
   
• HIV/AIDS
  US Government research funding: $3 billion/year ²
  Results:
    - AIDS was once a near-immediate death sentence.
    - Today – with anti-retroviral drug therapy, the 3-year survival rate is 90%.
   
• Lung Cancer
  US Government research funding: Only $267 million/year ^2,3
  Results: very little change in 5-year survival rates: ⁴
    - Early 1970s – 12%
    - Today – 16%

Download a PowerPoint slide with the Research Funding vs. Deaths Chart to use in your own presentations.

There is Hope
Over the last five years, there has been an explosion in the scientific understanding of the biology of lung cancer. This information is beginning to be translated into new treatments for the disease, but we can only continue to make progress by funding more research!

Read more about the research the National Lung Cancer Partnership is funding.

References

1 American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2011. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2011.
2 NIH Spending for FY010: NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool. Available at http://report.nih.gov/rcdc/categories/. Accessed May 26, 2011.
3 Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs: Available at http://cdmrp.army.mil/bcrp/default.htm and http://cdmrp.army.mil/lcrp/default.shtml. Accessed May 26, 2011.
4 Fast Stats: An interactive tool for access to SEER cancer statistics. Surveillance Research Program,National Cancer Institute. http://seer.cancer.gov/faststats. Accessed May 22, 2011.
5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2008; vol. 20. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/resources/reports/. Published June 2010. Accessed May 22, 2011.E

Funding Chart References

Estimated deaths by cancer type in the US for 2009 are from the American Cancer Society Facts and Figures, 2010: http://www.cancer.org/Research/CancerFactsFigures/CancerFacts/Figures/cancer-facts-figures-2010

Annual funding figures represent the National Cancer Institute and Department of Defense estimated 2010 sepdning*
  NCI: http://budgettool.cancer.gov/budget-spending/funding-by-cancer-type/fiscal-year-2010.aspx
  Department of Defense Lung, Breast and Prostate Research Program descriptions available at http://cdmrp.army.mil/researchprograms.shtml
*While the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) also funds cancer research, a breakdown of spending between research and public health interventions is not currently available.