Lung cancer still remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in Hawaii, according to the American Lung Association. It is also the leading cause of cancer deaths nationwide.

Even so, only 40% of people in the United States are concerned that they might get lung cancer, and 73% of adults have not talked to their doctor about their risk for the disease, according to ALA’s 2022 Lung Health Barometer, a national survey examining awareness and attitudes about lung cancer. Nearly 70% of respondents were not familiar with the availability of lung cancer screening for early detection of the disease.

The results of the survey were released on Monday, World Lung Cancer Day.

“Unfortunately, lung cancer has been the long- standing No. 1 cancer killer for both men and women in Hawaii for a while, particularly for Native Hawaiians,” said Pedro Haro, executive director of the Lung Association in Hawaii. “They have one of the highest rates of lung cancer in the nation.”

In Hawaii, ALA said, an estimated 890 people this year will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and 540 people will die from the disease.

Greater awareness of lung cancer is key to securing research funding, according to Haro, and encouraging lung cancer screening, reducing stigma around the disease — and ultimately, saving lives.

If lung cancer is caught before it spreads, ALA said, the likelihood of surviving five years or more improves to 60%. When lung cancer is diagnosed at stage 3 or 4, Haro said, then fewer options for treatment are available.

“One of the most impactful things we can do in Hawaii is to raise awareness about lifesaving lung cancer screening,” he said in a news release. “Lung cancer screening is key to early diagnosis, and early diagnosis saves lives. This is particularly relevant to Native Hawaiians, who have one of the highest rates of lung cancer of anyone in the nation.”

Hawaii ranked last in the nation for the early diagnosis of lung cancer, according to ALA’s 2021 State of Lung Cancer report.

Only about 3% of Hawaii residents at high risk for lung cancer have received a low-dose CT scan for lung cancer screening, compared with 5.7% nationally. Also, ALA found that just 19% of lung cancer cases in Hawaii are diagnosed early, compared to 24.5% nationally.

The ALA report further found the rate of new lung cancer cases for Native Hawaiians in the state is 126 per 100,000, which is dramatically higher than for Indigenous people nationally.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not helped, according to Haro, because some health care providers put tests and treatments on hold or canceled appointments due to an overwhelmed system. Patients also deferred tests and doctor’s appointments during this time, and are now just getting back into the groove.

However, there is hope, according to ALA. The survey also found the lung cancer survival rate has risen substantially, and awareness of the deadly disease has steadily increased.

Also, the state Legislature passed a bill to create an early lung cancer screening task force within the state Department of Health.

Senate Bill 3367 establishes the task force, with an appropriation of $250,000, to research the steps and resources necessary to increase early lung cancer screening in Hawaii. In addition to reviewing and conducting studies, the task force is to create a public awareness campaign to inform Hawaii residents about early lung cancer screening.

Gov. David Ige on June 27 signed the bill into law as Act 162, which went into effect in July.

Guidelines for screenings recently increased, and now include people 50 to 80 years old who have a 20-pack-a-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

This nearly doubled the number of people eligible for screening, ALA said, and has the potential to save significantly more lives.

ALA also will continue to push for legislation that prevents people from starting any form of tobacco use, whether it be vaping or smoking to begin with, or to quit.

The 2022 Lung Health Barometer surveyed 4,000 Americans nationwide about lung cancer. More information about lung cancer screening is available, including an eligibility quiz and doctor conversation guide, at SavedbytheScan.org.