Connecticut is the second-best state in the country for lung cancer survival and screening, but the American Lung Association in Connecticut says more can still be done.
The State of Lung Cancer report from the association revealed that Connecticut leads in five-year survival rate at 36.5% and high-risk screening at 27%, trailing only Rhode Island.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Connecticut and across the United States, the association said. According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer accounted for the third largest number of estimated new cancer cases in 2025. The rate of new lung cancer cases in Connecticut is at 54.5 per 100,000 people, higher than the national average at 52.8.
“In the last decade, we have seen incredible progress, including increases in lung cancer survival and early detection rates,” said Ruth Canovi, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in a news release. “This means that more people in Connecticut are living longer after a lung cancer diagnosis.”
The Constitution State also is among the leaders for early-stage diagnosis and treatment measures, the association said on Wednesday.
Connecticut ranks fourth in the country for early diagnosis, with 34.4% of cases being diagnosed at an early stage, resulting in a significantly higher survival rate.
The report also shows that Connecticut is one of the top states – the sixth – to use surgery as the first course of treatment at 24.4%. The association said lung cancer can often be treated with surgery if it is diagnosed at an early stage and has not spread.
Room for improvement
However, Canovi said progress can still be made.
“Working to increase awareness and equitable access to lung cancer screening and overall healthcare are critical to saving lives,” Canovi said. “This is why the Lung Association is working hard on the federal and state level to ensure Connecticut residents have access to the best lung cancer care.”
Connecticut is fifth in the nation for lack of treatment at 16%, while, at the national level, 21% of cases do not receive treatment, the report states.
Tobacco use is the leading risk factor for lung cancer, while radon is the second most common cause and air pollution is a known risk factor, according to the report.
On the prevention side, the association said the percentage of adults who are current smokers in Connecticut is at 8.4 – the second lowest percentage of smokers, only behind Utah. Connecticut ranked 29th in radon exposure, the report stating that 25.8% of radon test results were at or above levels recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The American Lung Association highlighted some steps the state has taken to help improve screening, treatment and other metrics. In 2024, the state legislature passed a law ensuring access to biomarker testing – which can help determine the best treatment options for individual patients – in Medicaid. They later passed legislation that requires insurance coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing in the state-regulated private insurance market, the association said.
The association also stated that the state legislature has dedicated funds to lung cancer screening over the past three years.
“This is a crucial step in raising awareness of the integral role screening plays in outcomes for people facing lung cancer,” the association said. “As Connecticut looks to the expected impact of federal cuts to healthcare, the Lung Association will be working to ensure people can access the incredible care CT has to offer.”
This article originally published at CT is second in lung cancer survival, screening in US, but can do better, report says.
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