WHEREAS, Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States and in Pennsylvania in 2020, accounting for more deaths than colon cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined; and
WHEREAS, According to the Pennsylvania State Cancer Registry, there were 6,218 new lung cancer cases and 4,127 deaths because of lung cancer between 2013 and 2017 in Philadelphia County; and
WHEREAS, The 5-year survival rate for localized lung cancer is ~59%, yet only ~17% of lung cancers are diagnosed at this stage; and
WHEREAS, Screening for lung cancer for high-risk individuals using low-dose computed tomography can lead to the earlier detection of lung cancer and save lives, reducing the mortality by 20% when compared to screening by chest x-ray in the National Lung Screening Trial and reducing the risk of death at 10 years by 24% in men and 33% in women as demonstrated by another large randomized trial; and
WHEREAS, Funding for lung cancer research trails far behind funding for research of many other cancers, and additional research is needed in early diagnosis, screening, and treatment for lung cancer as well as in lung cancer affecting women and lung cancer health disparities; and
WHEREAS, Women diagnosed with lung cancer are more likely to be younger and never-smokers, lung cancer incidence and mortality rates in women are rising relative to men, more women die from lung cancer than breast cancer every year and by 2035, it is expected that more women will die from lung cancer than men; and
WHEREAS, Organizations working in the Philadelphia community, such as the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative and Women’s Lung Cancer Forum, are committed to educating about lung cancer and lung cancer screening and working to increase lung cancer screening rates in Philadelphia; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Philadelphia City Council proclaims November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month in perpetuity, recognizes the need for research in lung cancer affecting women and lung cancer health disparities, and encourages all citizens to learn about lung cancer and early detection through lung cancer screening.
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