Lung Cancer

Lung Cancer

B.C. has the lowest rate of lung cancer in Canada. However, as the most common cancer in the province, more than 4,000 British Columbians are diagnosed each year.

While lung cancer accounts for a quarter of all cancer deaths — more people die from it each year than from colorectal, pancreatic and breast cancer combined — there have been incredible advances in research and treatment thanks to BC Cancer’s world-leading work.

What You Need to Know About Lung Cancer

Lung cancer starts in the cells of the lung and can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Symptoms include a new or worsening cough, blood in the sputum (mucus made in lungs that is coughed up), wheezing, a hoarse voice, fever, weakness, weight loss, pain in chest or difficulty swallowing and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck.

Unfortunately, lung cancer symptoms often only arise after the cancer has spread. As a result, nearly half of all lung cancer cases are detected in Stage 4 — when the survival rate is only 3%. If the disease is caught early, in Stage 1, the survival rate is 62%.

Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. People between the ages 55 and 74 who have a significant history of tobacco product use are recommended to get screened. Importantly, 30% of diagnoses occur in never-smokers. Exposure to second-hand smoke, radon, asbestos, hazardous chemicals and substances, and air pollution can all increase your risk.

How is BC Cancer Advancing Lung Cancer Research and Care?

Thanks to donor support — including an historic $15.3 million donation from the Leon Judah Blackmore Foundation — BC Cancer’s lung cancer research team, which includes Drs. Stephen Lam and Renelle Myers, is world-renowned for their innovative work in early detection and risk factor research.

Canada’s First Province-Wide Screening Program

In 2022, fuelled by almost $2 million in donor support for equipment and start-up costs, BC Cancer launched the first provincial lung cancer screening program for eligible high-risk patients. It has since diagnosed 71% of cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage.

Advancing Early Detection in Non-Smokers

Building on B.C.’s 2010 discovery that lung cancer in non-smokers is a completely different disease, BC Cancer’s Breathomics Lab — a Canadian first supported by BC Cancer Foundation donors and led by Dr. Myers — is developing an AI-powered breath test to detect early lung cancer in non-smokers, who often go undiagnosed until their cancer has advanced to late stage.

The risk-prediction tool identifies chemical signatures in breath to detect early lung cancer and understand how changes in the lung microbiome may indicate lung cancer development in never-smokers.

Identifying At-Risk Populations

Using satellite data, ground measurements and residential histories worldwide, Dr. Lam’s team found that Asian women are more susceptible to air pollution-related lung cancer. Ongoing research into understanding why — such as genetic factors or other environmental influences — will hopefully lead to new intervention and prevention strategies for high-risk patients.

Exploring the Power of Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy, which harnesses the immune system to eradicate cancer, is rapidly emerging as one of the most promising lung cancer treatments. However, not all patients respond the same. For example, half of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer are unlikely to respond to immunotherapy while the other half greatly benefit, becoming long-term survivors.

BC Cancer teams are investigating new methods to better predict who will benefit from immunotherapy to offer more personalized treatments and reduce unnecessary side effects.

Led by BC Cancer’s Drs. Sara Taylor and Janessa Laskin, the THRIVE study is using genomic analysis to examine why lung cancers with certain mutations do not respond to immunotherapy. And BC Cancer Radiologist Dr. Ren Yuan recently led a study using AI — a special form of X-ray – CT imaging — to predict immunotherapy response and identify people who would benefit from alternative treatment.

Biobank Advancing Lung Cancer Research

BC Cancer’s donor-supported Lung Tumour Biobank, led by Dr. Barb Melosky, includes patient samples (tissue, blood and DNA) from as far back as 2015, and from six BC Cancer centres — Vancouver, Surrey, Kelowna, Prince George, Abbotsford and Victoria.

The invaluable resource is helping scientists identify new biomarkers that may enable early diagnosis, predict recurrence, and help match patients with the most effective therapies.