Statistics at a Glance

At a Glance

Estimated New Cases in 2023 238,340

% of All New Cancer Cases 12.2%

Estimated Deaths in 2023 127,070

% of All Cancer Deaths 20.8%

5-Year
Relative Survival

25.4% 2013–2019
Year Rate of New Cases — SEER 8 Rate of New Cases — SEER 12 Death Rate — U.S. 5-Year Relative Survival — SEER 8
Observed Modeled Trend Observed Modeled Trend Observed Modeled Trend Observed Modeled Trend
1975 50.78 52.76 - - 42.56 42.77 11.74% 11.91%
1976 53.63 53.63 - - 44.20 44.04 12.90% 12.03%
1977 54.57 54.51 - - 45.49 45.34 13.43% 12.16%
1978 55.66 55.41 - - 46.88 46.69 13.39% 12.28%
1979 57.05 56.32 - - 47.69 48.07 13.24% 12.41%
1980 57.51 57.25 - - 49.41 49.49 12.68% 12.53%
1981 58.87 58.19 - - 49.99 50.38 13.29% 12.66%
1982 59.84 59.15 - - 51.43 51.28 13.29% 12.79%
1983 59.76 60.13 - - 52.40 52.20 13.92% 12.92%
1984 62.24 61.12 - - 53.36 53.14 12.78% 13.05%
1985 61.34 62.12 - - 54.32 54.09 13.35% 13.18%
1986 62.64 63.15 - - 55.04 55.06 12.86% 13.31%
1987 65.31 64.19 - - 56.24 56.05 12.72% 13.44%
1988 65.07 65.24 - - 56.97 57.05 13.09% 13.57%
1989 64.33 66.32 - - 57.90 58.08 13.15% 13.70%
1990 65.19 65.89 - - 58.85 59.12 13.39% 13.84%
1991 65.40 65.47 - - 58.99 59.00 13.73% 13.97%
1992 66.44 65.05 64.65 64.48 58.90 58.88 13.71% 14.11%
1993 64.20 64.63 63.03 63.78 59.13 58.77 14.52% 14.24%
1994 63.52 64.22 61.88 63.08 58.54 58.65 14.02% 14.38%
1995 63.57 63.81 62.47 62.40 58.38 58.54 14.37% 14.51%
1996 63.53 63.40 62.09 61.72 57.91 57.96 14.56% 14.65%
1997 63.66 62.99 61.43 61.05 57.51 57.38 14.48% 14.79%
1998 64.21 62.59 61.76 60.39 57.08 56.81 14.84% 14.93%
1999 62.86 62.19 60.48 59.73 55.42 56.25 15.21% 15.07%
2000 61.37 61.79 58.50 59.08 55.85 55.70 15.45% 15.20%
2001 60.74 61.40 58.12 58.44 55.32 55.14 15.02% 15.34%
2002 61.01 61.00 57.79 57.81 55.00 54.60 15.62% 15.85%
2003 61.25 60.61 57.69 57.18 54.19 54.06 15.95% 16.37%
2004 59.07 60.22 56.01 56.56 53.37 53.52 17.18% 16.89%
2005 59.65 59.84 56.26 55.94 52.85 52.99 17.37% 17.42%
2006 59.03 59.45 55.29 55.34 51.73 51.82 17.47% 17.96%
2007 58.69 58.24 54.88 54.74 50.71 50.67 18.65% 18.51%
2008 56.75 57.06 53.12 53.52 49.59 49.55 19.14% 19.06%
2009 56.67 55.90 53.29 52.33 48.41 48.46 19.77% 19.62%
2010 54.44 54.76 50.72 51.16 47.42 47.39 19.77% 20.18%
2011 53.25 53.65 49.34 50.02 46.02 46.09 20.43% 20.75%
2012 52.71 52.56 48.60 48.91 44.97 44.83 20.15% 21.33%
2013 51.44 51.49 47.22 47.82 43.48 43.60 22.48% 21.91%
2014 50.28 50.44 46.50 46.75 42.25 42.41 23.50% 23.77%
2015 49.32 49.41 45.94 45.71 40.69 40.41 25.24% 25.69%
2016 48.83 48.41 45.15 44.69 38.52 38.51 - 27.64%
2017 48.10 47.42 44.56 43.70 36.71 36.70 - 29.62%
2018 45.75 46.46 42.18 42.73 34.80 34.97 - 31.62%
2019 45.47 45.51 41.77 41.78 33.38 33.32 - 33.65%
2020 38.82 - 35.91 - 31.76 31.75 - 35.68%

New cases come from SEER 12. Deaths come from U.S. Mortality.
All Races, Both Sexes. Rates are Age-Adjusted.
Modeled trend lines were calculated from the underlying rates using the Joinpoint Trend Analysis Software.
The 2020 incidence rate is displayed but not used in the fit of the trend line(s). Impact of COVID on SEER Cancer Incidence 2020 data

New cases are also referred to as incident cases in other publications. Rates of new cases are also referred to as incidence rates.


Rate of New Cases and Deaths per 100,000: The rate of new cases of lung and bronchus cancer was 50.0 per 100,000 men and women per year. The death rate was 35.0 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are age-adjusted and based on 2016–2020 cases and deaths.

Lifetime Risk of Developing Cancer: Approximately 6.1 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with lung and bronchus cancer at some point during their lifetime, based on 2017–2019 data.

Prevalence of This Cancer: In 2020, there were an estimated 603,989 people living with lung and bronchus cancer in the United States.

Did You Know? Video Series

Survival Statistics

How Many People Survive 5 Years Or More after Being Diagnosed with Lung and Bronchus Cancer?

Relative survival is an estimate of the percentage of patients who would be expected to survive the effects of their cancer. It excludes the risk of dying from other causes. Because survival statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. No two patients are entirely alike, and treatment and responses to treatment can vary greatly.

25.4%

5-Year
Relative Survival

25.4%

Based on data from SEER 22 (Excluding IL/MA) 2013–2019. Gray figures represent those who have died from lung and bronchus cancer. Green figures represent those who have survived 5 years or more.

Survival by Stage

Cancer stage at diagnosis, which refers to extent of a cancer in the body, determines treatment options and has a strong influence on the length of survival. In general, if the cancer is found only in the part of the body where it started it is localized (sometimes referred to as stage 1). If it has spread to a different part of the body, the stage is regional or distant. The earlier lung and bronchus cancer is caught, the better chance a person has of surviving five years after being diagnosed. For lung and bronchus cancer, 20.7% are diagnosed at the local stage. The 5-year relative survival for localized lung and bronchus cancer is 62.8%.

Percent of Cases & 5-Year Relative Survival by Stage at Diagnosis: Lung and Bronchus Cancer
Stage Percent of Cases 5-Year Relative Survival
Localized
Confined to Primary Site
21% 62.8%
Regional
Spread to Regional Lymph Nodes
21% 34.8%
Distant
Cancer Has Metastasized
53% 8.2%
Unknown
Unstaged
5% 15.1%

SEER 22 (Excluding IL/MA) 2013–2019, All Races, Both Sexes by SEER Combined Summary Stage

New Cases and Deaths

How Common Is This Cancer?

Compared to other cancers, lung and bronchus cancer is fairly common.

Rank Common Types of Cancer Estimated New
Cases 2023
Estimated
Deaths 2023
1. Breast Cancer (Female) 297,790 43,170
2. Prostate Cancer 288,300 34,700
3. Lung and Bronchus Cancer 238,340 127,070
4. Colorectal Cancer 153,020 52,550
5. Melanoma of the Skin 97,610 7,990
6. Bladder Cancer 82,290 16,710
7. Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer 81,800 14,890
8. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 80,550 20,180
9. Uterine Cancer 66,200 13,030
10. Pancreatic Cancer 64,050 50,550

Lung and bronchus cancer represents 12.2% of all new cancer cases in the U.S.

12.2%

In 2023, it is estimated that there will be 238,340 new cases of lung and bronchus cancer and an estimated 127,070 people will die of this disease.

Who Gets This Cancer?

Lung cancer is more common in men than women, particularly African American men. Smoking is widely recognized as the leading cause of lung cancer. The rate of new cases of lung and bronchus cancer was 50.0 per 100,000 men and women per year based on 2016–2020 cases, age-adjusted.

Rate of New Cases per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity & Sex: Lung and Bronchus Cancer
Males
All Races 56.4
Hispanic 31.8
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 51.5
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 42.2
Non-Hispanic Black 68.3
Non-Hispanic White 61.5
Females
All Races 45.3
Hispanic 22.3
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 44.4
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 27.7
Non-Hispanic Black 44.0
Non-Hispanic White 52.7

SEER 22 2016–2020, Age-Adjusted

Percent of New Cases by Age Group: Lung and Bronchus Cancer
Age Range Percent of New Cases
<20 0.0%
20–34 0.2%
35–44 0.9%
45–54 5.3%
55–64 22.0%
65–74 35.2%
75–84 27.1%
>84 9.3%

Lung and bronchus cancer is most frequently diagnosed among people aged 65–74.

Median Age
At Diagnosis

71

SEER 22 2016–2020, All Races, Both Sexes

Who Dies From This Cancer?

Death rates for lung cancer are higher among the middle-aged and older populations. Lung and bronchus cancer is the first leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The death rate was 35.0 per 100,000 men and women per year based on 2016–2020 deaths, age-adjusted.

Death Rate per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity & Sex: Lung and Bronchus Cancer
Males
All Races 42.2
Hispanic 20.9
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 39.9
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 25.6
Non-Hispanic Black 51.0
Non-Hispanic White 44.7
Females
All Races 29.3
Hispanic 11.4
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 29.9
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 15.4
Non-Hispanic Black 27.8
Non-Hispanic White 32.8

U.S. 2016–2020, Age-Adjusted

Percent of Deaths by Age Group: Lung and Bronchus Cancer
Age Range Percent of Deaths
<20 0.0%
20–34 0.1%
35–44 0.6%
45–54 4.5%
55–64 20.1%
65–74 32.7%
75–84 29.1%
>84 13.1%

The percent of lung and bronchus cancer deaths is highest among people aged 65–74.

Median Age
At Death

72

U.S. 2016–2020, All Races, Both Sexes

Trends in Rates

Changes Over Time

Keeping track of new cases, deaths, and survival over time (trends) can help scientists understand whether progress is being made and where additional research is needed to address challenges, such as improving screening or finding better treatments.

Using statistical models for analysis, age-adjusted rates for new lung and bronchus cancer cases have been falling on average 2.0% each year over 2010–2019. Age-adjusted death rates have been falling on average 4.1% each year over 2011–2020. 5-year relative survival trends are shown below.

Interactive Statistics with SEER*Explorer

With SEER*Explorer, you can...
  • Create custom graphs and tables
  • Download data and images
  • Share links to results

SEER*Explorer is an interactive website that provides easy access to a wide range of SEER cancer statistics. It provides detailed statistics for a cancer site by gender, race, calendar year, age, and for a selected number of cancer sites, by stage and histology.

Explore Additional Lung and Bronchus Cancer Statistics

More About This Cancer

Cancer and the Lung

Figure: Respiratory Anatomy

Figure: Respiratory anatomy; drawing shows right lung with upper, middle, and lower lobes; left lung with upper and lower lobes; and the trachea, bronchi, lymph nodes, and diaphragm. Inset shows bronchioles, alveoli, artery, and vein.

There are two main categories of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Each type of non-small cell lung cancer has different of cancer cells, which grow and spread in different ways:

  • Squamous cell carcinoma (also called epidermoid carcinoma).
  • Large cell carcinoma: Cancer that may begin in several types of large cells.
  • Adenocarcinoma: Cancer that begins in the cells that line the alveoli and make substances such as mucus.

Other less common types of non-small cell lung cancer are: pleomorphic, carcinoid tumor, salivary gland carcinoma, and unclassified carcinoma.

There are two main types of small cell lung cancer, again according to cell type: small cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer) and combined small cell carcinoma.

Additional Information

More Information

Here are some resources for learning more about lung cancer.

References

All statistics in this report are based on statistics from SEER and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Most can be found within SEER*Explorer.

Suggested Citation

All material in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Lung and Bronchus Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/lungb.html

These stat facts focus on population statistics that are based on the U.S. population. Because these statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. To see tailored statistics, browse SEER*Explorer. To see statistics for a specific state, go to the State Cancer Profiles.

The statistics presented in these stat facts are based on the most recent data available, most of which can be found in SEER*Explorer. In some cases, different year spans may be used.

Estimates of new cases and deaths for 2023 are projections made by the American Cancer Society (ACS), based on earlier reported data.

Cancer is a complex topic. There is a wide range of information available. These stat facts do not address causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care, or decision making, although links are provided to information in many of these areas.