At the beginning of the 20th century lung cancer was considered a rare disease, but as people’s exposures to tobacco smoke, air pollution, and other triggers of the disease have increased, the burden of disease has grown.
As a result, lung cancer became and continues to be one of the most common cancers across Europe, claiming more lives each year than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.
World Lung Cancer Day, observed annually on 1 August, provides an opportunity for the public health community to raise awareness of the risk factors for lung cancer and to offer solutions for how to prevent lung cancer, ensure early detection, and improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
While the respiratory and oncology communities advance the scientific research and clinical treatment in lung cancer each day, we must continue to push for further policy changes to tackle lung cancer.
To reduce the burden of this disease and protect the health of European citizens, ERS recommends that the European Union:
- Increases funding for medical research
- Enables European citizens to breathe clean air
- Encourages Member States to adopt and implement anti-tobacco legislation
- Develops European guidelines on lung cancer screening
- Protects workers from occupational exposure to risk factors
- Supports Member States in health system management
Find out how ERS policy officers are advocating for lung screening across Europe.
ERS resources for World Lung Cancer Day 2019
- Factsheet: Lung cancer in Europe
- ERS Educational material on lung cancer
- ERS Publications on lung cancer
Upcoming events
ERS Skills Courses on Thoracoscopy and Pleural Techniques: