国家卫生部2008年4月29日公布的新一轮全国人口死因调查数据显示：与环境、生活方式有关的肺癌、肝癌、结直肠癌、乳腺癌死亡率及其构成呈明显上升趋势，其中肺癌和乳腺癌上升幅度最大，过去30年分别上升了465%和96%。 从城乡前十位恶性肿瘤构成来看，肺癌已代替肝癌成为我国首位恶性肿瘤死亡原因（占全部恶性肿瘤死亡的22.7%）。

    2008年3月北京市卫生局公布的数据显示，北京市恶性肿瘤死亡率由2006年第三位升至第一位，首次排在本市居民死因之首，成为名符其实的第一夺命杀手。其中肺癌居恶性肿瘤死亡之首，其构成比已达29%。

    美国癌症学会公布报告，2007年全球新增癌症病患1200万例，760万人死于癌症，相当于每天死亡2万人。而在众多的恶性肿瘤疾病中，肺癌对生命的威胁排在第一。2008年中国肿瘤大会报告，我国每年有60万人死于肺癌，每4个因癌症死亡患者中就有1位是因肺癌死亡。全世界平均每30秒就有1人死于肺癌；肺癌的发病率和死亡率列为所有肿瘤之首，是名副其实的癌症第一杀手。全国政协副主席霍英东、天津市委书记张立昌和大家熟知的著名艺术家赵丽容、文兴宇等很多名人均因肺癌晚期而死亡。

     随着医学科技的发展尤其是近几年肺癌靶向药物的问世和临床应用，肺癌患者的生存期明显延长，许多晚期已经转移的患者得以带瘤长期生存，生存期长达2、3年或以上者屡见不鲜。医学资料显示，一种抑制肿瘤新生血管生成的靶向药物贝伐单抗和化疗药物合用首次使晚期患者的中位生存期超过了1年。

     相信不久的将来，会出现越来越多更加有效、副作用更低的药物，使肺癌能够象高血压、糖尿病患者一样能够与体内的肿瘤和平相处，长期带瘤生存，带癌生活，使肺癌成为一种像高血压、糖尿病一样的慢性疾病。

【英语园地】Living With Lung Cancer
Because lung cancer is associated with smoking, patients may feel that they will not receive as much support or help from people around them because they believe that others will think that their behavior caused the disease. The truth is that most smokers do not develop lung cancer, and not all patients with lung cancer smoke. Lung cancer is a disease that affects all people. In fact, most people who get lung cancer today either have stopped smoking years earlier, or have never smoked.

For many patients, a diagnosis of lung cancer can be very stressful, and at times difficult to bear. Some persons with lung cancer develop anxiousness, and less commonly, depression. Patients and their families should not be afraid to express the way they are feeling to doctors and nurses. The health-care team is there to help, and many team members have special skills and experience that can make things easier for patients and their families.

In addition to moral support and education, the doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety medications like alprazolam (Alprazolam Intensol, Xanax) or lorazepam (Ativan, Lorazepam Intensol) and occasionally, antidepressants. He or she may refer the patient to a counselor, psychologist, social worker, or psychiatrist. Furthermore, patients and their families should be aware that there are resources available in the community to help people living with cancer. Some patients feel comfortable discussing their disease and experiences throughout treatment, with their doctor, nurse, family, friends, or other patients. These patients may also join support groups or advocacy groups in order to increase awareness about lung cancer and to help fellow patients who are living with this disease.

A lung cancer diagnosis is serious. However, patients can be hopeful that their doctors can offer them effective treatment. They can take comfort knowing that the advances being made in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer will provide more and more patients with a chance for cure.