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What CDC is Doing

Download the 2008/2009 Lung Cancer Initiatives Fact Sheet (PDF 1.2MB)

Ongoing Work

CDC's ongoing work to encourage the prevention and control of lung cancer includes:

Lung Cancer Web Site. CDC maintains this Web site to increase awareness of and knowledge about lung cancer, and to provide resources for preventing and controlling lung cancer. The site presents information about disease burden, risk factors, and risk modification, as well as screening recommendations, a review of CDC's activities in lung cancer control, and links to additional resources. The site offers definitions and links to information about diagnosis, staging, treatment, supportive care, management of side effects, clinical trials, and support groups.

National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR). CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) collects critical data about who is being diagnosed with and dying from lung cancer in the United States. These data inform public health action and are the result of a partnership between NPCR and the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program. Along with the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, these programs coordinate the collection of high-quality incidence data for approximately 98% of the U.S. population. CDC's National Center for Health Statistics/National Vital Statistics System provides nationwide cancer death statistics for 100% of the U.S. population.

Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). CDC's OSH created the National Tobacco Control Program in 1999 to reduce tobacco-related diseases through community interventions, counter-marketing, program policy and regulation, surveillance, and evaluation. The program provides funding and technical support to state and territorial health departments in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, 7 U.S. territories, 9 national organizations, 6 national networks, and 7 tribal support centers, and municipal health officials.

Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO). CDC's DNPAO supports states by offering programs that promote a healthy diet. These programs include Fruits and Veggies: More Matters, which encourages people to eat more fruits and vegetables.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). CDC's NIOSH is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness, including lung cancer caused by workplace exposures.

National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registries (ATSDR). ATSDR and CDC's NCEH support environmental health tracking programs and conduct activities to prevent or control exposures and diseases related to the environment. For lung cancer, examples include exposures to asbestos, radon, ionizing radiation, and other cancer-causing substances at home, in the general environment, or from toxic waste sites.

Guide to Community Preventive Services. CDC supports the Guide to Community Preventive Services, a Web site that recommends ways to improve tobacco control at the community level. The Guide also offers evidence-based recommendations about other disease prevention and health promotion programs.

Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T. CDC contributes to Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T., a Web site that offers research-tested tools and programs for tobacco control, as well as many other resources for the prevention and control of cancer.

1-800-QUITNOW. CDC and its partner, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), support a national network of "quitlines" that smokers in the United States can access for help with quitting smoking. 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669) is a single-access point to the National Network of Tobacco Cessation Quitlines. Callers are routed automatically to a state-run quitlineif one exists in their area. If there is no state-run quitline, the call goes to the NCI quitline.

Future Directions

CDC will continue to support and contribute to the activities listed above, and will maintain its lung cancer Web site.

With additional funding, CDC's DCPC would enhance lung cancer surveillance activities, and evaluate potential research efforts related to lung cancer screening and early detection, community-based programs related to lung cancer prevention and control, and the public health needs of cancer survivors and their families.

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