ABSTRACT
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both American women and men. The disease is expected to claim the lives of 157,400 Americans in 2001, a figure that represents 25% of cancer deaths among women and 31% of cancer deaths among men (1). Moreover, an anticipated 169,500 new lung cancer cases (13% of all new cancer cases) will be diagnosed in the United States in 2001 (1). Unfortunately, clinical symptoms of lung cancer, such as shortness of breath, chronic cough, and hemoptysis, usually do not occur until the disease has reached a more advanced stage, when patient prognosis is especially poor. The 5-year survival rate for lung cancer patients is only 13% (2).
