Lung Cancer is the most common cancer in the world. In the UK, around 39,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and it is estimated that, at any one time, there are 65,000 people in the UK living with lung cancer.
It is known that smokers and ex-smokers have a particularly high risk of developing the disease: although most lung cancers are related to smoking, 10% of people with lung cancer have never smoked. However, there are other factors that increase the risk of developing lung cancer disease, for example, exposure to chemicals found in the workplace or environment, such as: asbestos, radon, diesel exhaust fumes, synthetic fibres and many others. Current research suggest that lung cancer is not hereditary. However this is still being researched.
If you were/are a smoker it is important to recognise that, although your smoking habit may have contributed, it may not be the only cause of cancer. There are almost certainly other factors involved but perhaps not yet understood. Therefore, you should never feel stigmatised or guilty (15-20% of smokers develop lung cancer).
Some people who are affected by lung cancer want to know as many statistics as possible about the disease - others don’t. It is important to remember that the figures quoted are dependant on a large variety of factors.
For more in-depth statistics about lung cancer, see our Downloads section.
Please only refer to the facts and figures if you really want to know this information.