November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and a recent report from a national organization highlights the toll of lung cancer in our state.
The 7th annual State of Lung Cancer report from the American Lung Association states that although Pennsylvania is above the national average in screening residents for lung cancer, there is still work to do.
The lung cancer survival rate in Pennsylvania is nearly 27% which is slightly above the national average and represents a steady improvement. However, just under 15% of Pennsylvania adults smoke which is slightly above the national average of just under 13%.
The report also looked at radon, which is a radioactive gas and second-leading cause of lung cancer. Nearly two out of every five Pennsylvania homes contain high levels of the naturally occurring gas which is below the average of other states across the country.