Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality. In some countries, incidence rates are dropping but survival rates for those with the disease remain low.
A special supplement published in Nature today explores the current risks, therapies and causes of lung cancer.
The Nature Outlook on lung cancer, supported by Cancer Research UK and Boehringer Ingelheim, contains commentaries, features and articles on topics including: the risks and costs associated with lung-cancer screening, therapies targeted at the specific genetics of a patient’s lung cancer, air pollution risks and key lung-cancer mutations in non-smokers.
Here is a snapshot of the striking graphics that can be found in the supplement.
For more graphics, features and information, click through to read the free-to-access Outlook.
Marks of a killer (Above)
Lung cancer is categorised by cell type into non-small-cell lung cancer — of which the three main subtypes are adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma — and small-cell lung cancer. Treatment and prognosis differ depending on the type of lung cancer. (Reference: US National Cancer Institute, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program Cancer Statistics Review 1975–2011)
A world of risk (Below)
Annual incidence risks of lung cancer per 100,000 people in 2012. Tobacco is the main cause of the disease, but about one-tenth of lung-cancer patients have never smoked. (Reference: International Agency for Research on Cancer)
Annual price of lung cancer in the United States (Below)
A debate continues over how much screening would cost, but proposed support from Medicare is a fraction of the spend on tobacco marketing.
(References: 8. US National Cancer Institute Cancer Trends Progress Report 2011/2012; 9. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 10. Roth, J. A. et al. J. Clin. Oncol. 32 (Suppl.), 6501 (2014); 11. United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 12. Same as ref 8.)
All content has been adapted for Nature Blogs from the latest Nature Outlook: Lung Cancer.